


The Demons Within

by Fuzzy_Logics



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - Fandom, Batman and Robin (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Gen, I CAN FIX THIS, I just really need to get this story out of my head, I miss Dick Grayson, Mind Manipulation, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2020-02-29 04:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18770863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fuzzy_Logics/pseuds/Fuzzy_Logics
Summary: 'Richard Grayson, but you can call me Dick'. That's who he used to be. In a desperate attempt to get his past self back, Dick turns to someone whom he has distrusted for so long. With the help of his former partner, baby brother, and biggest believer Damian, they set out to the League of Assassins' base to meet with Talia and a radical experiment.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

Ric pulled his cab to the curb and switched off his for hire light. The sun was beginning to set and he was looking forward to stopping by the bar for a quick drink and a light snack. He looked out beyond into the distance and could make out a shadowy figure leaping across a rooftop. He shook his head with a frown. "Nope. Not tonight. I can't be what they want me to be anymore. All I want is to have a normal, quiet life. They've got everything under control."

 

He stepped out of yellow cab and slammed the door shut. "And even if they don't, it's none of my business. If this town's gonna fall..." his sentence faded out as he couldn't quite bring himself to finish it. A part of him knew he would never say such things. He truly loved Bludhaven, but it was a tough city to love. There were good people here, great history, and beautiful skylines. When the breeze was right, the salty sea air could carry through into the parks and marketplaces. However, the gangs that continued to spar over turfs and the occasional villain of the week could make Bludhaven become a city of Hell. Rivers of blood staining the streets to their namesake and filling the ports, turning the spray pink and adding a different salty, coppery scent to the water's aroma that reached even the darkest alley way.

 

So far these pasts weeks have been fairly calm and Ric has been able to shake off the hands of the Nightwings from his shoulders. They feel better knowing he's with them, he helps get the job done. Well if it's too much for them, they shouldn't be doing it. Leave it to the...

 

Ric snorted. He used to **be** one of them. The Bat Family. He would be the only one out here in the streets putting a stop to whatever catastrophe lay next. But it got him shot in the head and his memories purged. So he took it as a sign that he was to leave that life all behind. He needed to start again and just be Ric. That's who he is now.

 

"This is me. This is me." He muttered to himself as he walked the sidewalk to the bar a few blocks down. He zipped his jacket up. Despite it being the end of Spring, the nights near the port were still a bit chilly. There were few people out being it was the middle of the work week. No one wanting to drink and party yet. The bar would just have the regulars. One of them being-

 

"Me. This is me." Ric ended with a sigh. 

 

"If you have to resort to talking yourself into being you, then maybe you aren't convincing enough." a small but gruff voice behind me spoke.

 

Ric spun around and saw a boy of thirteen glaring back at him. He knew who this was from a small picture that used to be in his wallet. It wasn't anymore. "Damian Wayne."

 

"Richard."

 

"It's Ric. Shouldn't you be in Gotham with your parent? This isn't a safe place to be alone." Ric wanted to turn around and keep walking but something about the boy's face kept him rooted to the spot. Maybe it was the strange look in his eyes. 

 

"Hmph! I can clean these streets up all by myself if I wanted to. These amateurs you have running around is a disgrace to your name."

 

"If you are trying to get me angry, you're not seeing as I'm not Nightwing anymore. I have to go now."

 

He still couldn't move though. Damian's face was hard as stone, but his eyes. Ric focused in on them and saw the small glistening of tears at the edges of his chocolate colored eyes. "I have told you before that I don't want to be someone I'm not anymore. If you cared-"

 

"You think we don't care? How would you know how we feel? You don't know what we feel!" Damian bursted out. "Even if you did, you don't seem to care! And yet you want us to care about your feelings? You just want us to forget what you mean to us. All the memories we have and experiences we shared are to be forgotten like yours have! Yeah, let's all just do that!" Damian waved his hands in emphasis. "You think that because you have no memories of your past, that means they didn't happen?"

 

"No! I didn't say that. It's because they happened I don't want that in my life again. Look at me!" Ric gestured at himself. "My body has scars I know nothing about. I ache in places I shouldn't at my age. I have this scar on my head. I have nightmares about things I don't understand and I don't want to!" He shouted. He was getting angry now. "Look what that life has done to me! And what has it gotten me?"

 

"I'll tell you what it's gotten you, Richard Grayson." Damian spoke with cold sharpness. "It has saved countless lives. It had brought a family together in ways I can recall with fondness. It has stopped the world from being destroyed. It has given you a strength that no one can match. You are unbreakable, Grayson. Those nightmares are a part of you. Trying to bring you back to your core. Your subconscious knows your past, and it's trying to reconnect."

 

"I. Don't. Want. This." Ric said through clenched teeth. He was starting to get a dull ache in his head. This kid was trying his patience. He really wanted that drink now.

 

"Yes, you do." Damian stepped closer. The tear that had been welling up finally crested over, tumbling slowly down his round cheek. "And I want it to." He stopped in front of Ric, and without warning wrapped his arms around his waist. "I want my brother back."

 

This words came out muffled but Ric felt them through his whole body. He was frozen in place, unsure of what to do or say. Seconds later he felt the warmth of Damian's tears seep through his hoodie and his arms moved automatically around the boy's frame. It felt strangely comforting to him. It was like a phantom maneuver, like so many that come to him when he fought out on the streets lately. Like he had done this before with this boy. It couldn't have all been bad. All the memories. All of the people. Maybe he was only focusing on the scars and pain and the emptiness in his mind. That wasn't what he should be looking at. Maybe he had to look for the hope, the excitement, the love. He looked down at the small figure still wrapped tightly around him. A wave of guilt hit him and he felt his cheeks flush with shame. What had he been doing to these people who were his family? Shunning them and waving them away like they were flies hovering over the dead memories and lost history on his body. 

 

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize..." He pulled Damian away from him with difficulty and knelt down. "Look, I can see that... we may have been close. I get it. But you and I have to face the fact that I may never be the man you once knew. Now what I can do is stay in touch. I can call you and maybe video chat with you. You can even ask to see if you can stay a weekend once in a while. How about that?"

 

Damian shook his head furiously. "No! I am not going to settle. I want my brother back."

 

"There is no way to fix this." He touched the scar and smiled sadly. "I have brain damage. That's permanent as far as medical experts have told me."

 

"What if there was a way to fix it?" Damian whispered so softly, Ric wasn't sure he heard it. "What?"

 

"What if there was a way to get your memories back? Would you do it? For me? For yourself?"

 

Ric wasn't sure if he could answer that. It wasn't possible. There had to be some crazy catch. But so what if there was? Would it be worth it? Was he satisfied with whom he was now or would the nightmares keep him up at night with questions he was afraid to ask. He stared back at the young man who waited anxiously for his reply. He knew one thing. He didn't like the loneliness. He didn't always like the quietness of his empty apartment. The phone that barely rang with no one special at the other end of it. Ric smiled. He knew one thing that made him change his mind though.

 

"I think I could get used to those hugs, kiddo."

 

"Does that mean you will do it?" Damian perked up. And by perked up, he grinned something mischievous. 

 

"I don't know what 'it' is, but yes. For you I think I will. Maybe for me too." Ric looked beyound Damian at the dingy yellow cab parked several feet away and nodded. "So where do I get this new brain? In the Land of OZ?"

"Nope, it's ah, over seas. On a secret island. In dangerous territory. Look, don't worry about the details. Just stick with me and when we get there.... just let me do all the talking." Damian grabbed Ric's arm and began pulling him past the bar. He threw a glance in. No crowds or partying. Just the regulars, but not him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to add that I do not own these characters. They belong to DC comics. I just love them soooooo much I have to do something about this hot mess going on right now in the Nightwing series.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

Ric make a quick stop at his apartment and was then directed to an airfield at the edge of the city. Damian sat in the back like one of his fares telling where to go. They pulled up beside a small hangar and Ric let out a low whistle.

 

"This plane yours?"

 

"It's the family plane. We have a few of them, actually. It will not be an issue if it goes missing for a few weeks." Damian slammed the cab door a little too hard, making Ric wince. 

 

"Exactly how long are we looking at? I've got bills to pay." Ric popped the trunk to snag his duffle bag and leather jacket.

 

"To be truthful, I am uncertain Richard. This is a prototype procedure. It may take a matter of days to a month."

 

"But it's safe, right? I mean I'm going to be able to differentiate my face from a potato after this is over. Damian?" Ric sped up his steps to catch up to the young Wayne who was busy looking at a strange mobile phone.

 

"Is that a satellite phone?"

 

"Yes and sort of."

 

"Which answer went to which question?" Ric felt a flutter of nerves in his abdomen when he didn't receive an answer. 

 

The steps to the luxury jet descended and Damian wasted no time hopping up two at a time. Ric followed at a slower pace. The inside reminded him of a hotel room; Soft carpets, leather seats, and a mini bar towards the back. There was a small door which Ric assumed was the toilet at the tail end. Still, as normal if not posh way the plane looked, there was something off about the scene. He looked around towards the cockpit.

 

"Where are the pilots?"

 

"I will be flying us to our destination. We cannot have just anybody showing up at a secret base of operations. They would be killed on the spot."

 

"Whoa now, hold on a minute here. Now I know up until now I have been pretty go with the flow on this wack-a-doodle idea, but there comes a time when a man has to say, WHAT THE HELL?" Ric's eyes went wide with shock, but received a cool stare back.

 

"I have my pilot's license."

 

"Legally?" Ric asked skeptically.

 

"Richard we are on a mission. Let us not get sidetracked with the minutiae of details. I am the only one with the directions and clearance to get on the island. You are going to have to trust me on this." Damian didn't wait for a reply and made his way to the pilot seat.

 

Ric sighed and kicked his bag to the side and slipped into his jacket. "I can't believe I'm saying yes to this. How long until we get there?"

 

"It is a twelve hour flight, so I suggest you get some sleep while you can."

 

"Will you-"

 

"I can go days without sleep so there is no need for conern. I will let you know when we are close to our destination."

 

Ric watched for a moment as Damian went through the motions of starting the plane. He smiled with disbelief and a little relief before taking a seat. He was more at ease when the the plane had made to the tarmac and took off without a hitch. The flight was a quiet one.

 

About midway through, Ric became restless. He got up and decided to do some shadowboxing. There was a mirror hanging next to the exit. He raised his fists to his face and his shoulders hunched. He threw a few straight punches followed by a right hook. A couple punches and a dodge, a left hook and an uppercut. Dodge. 

 

"You're too slow on the upper cut. Keep your arm from swinging out to much and put more body into it." Damian critiqued from the front.

 

"I know! It's a little difficult with the turbulence." He grumbled back.

 

He heard the boy click his teeth and mutter, "That wouldn't have been an issue before."

 

Ric stopped and spun around. "Look, I know you have expectations and experience of my past self, but that isn't me!"

 

Damian switched the autopilot on and turned around to face him.

 

"Well if you makes you feel better, your temper hasn't changed." 

 

"Sounds like you know it well." Ric said sarcastically.

"We have all been at the receiving end of your tirades and tantrums."

 

"What? I don't have tantrums or tirades!"

 

"How would you know?" Damian grinned back at him. 

 

"Shut up and fly squirt." Ric didn't want anymore advice so he sat back down. Damian said nothing but continued to stare at him with soft curiousity. Another moment of quiet had Ric finally speak up about something that has been on his mind since the beginning.

 

"Why is everyone so hell bent on getting me back in the game? After everything that happened, why is it so important to you that I become Nightwing  again? Aren't there enough of you guys out there taking bad guys down? Plus you have aliens and metas all over the world that can do so much more than ol' mortal me. Look, I get that you want your brother back. But what if I don't get my memories back, or all my technique, or my desire to fight crime? Would you be okay with me as I am now?"

 

Ric watched a few mysterious expressions pass across the youthful face that made him look older in those moments, but the look he settled on reminded Ric his future was in the hands of a child. 

 

"You are just nervous about the surgery. Everything will be just fine. When we get there, we will get you settled in and fixed up. I will enjoy taking photos of the post surgery drool faces you will have and save them for blackmail. Then we will have you back home before you can say Cheese Vikings."

 

The final descent was turbulent and dark as night had fallen. Ric wasn't sure where they were about to land because all he could see was water. He tightened his seatbelt and tried to keep his breathing steady. He admired Damian's focused attention and calmness under the situation.

 

"We are here." He called back.

 

"But we haven't-"

 

The plane landed with a sudden but controlled bounce and Ric felt the brakes being applied steadily, bringing the plane to a slow coast. He let out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding. "And where are we exactly? I heard 'base of operations' and 'secret' being thrown around. Are you sure we should be here?"

 

"Of course. Let's go, she is already waiting for us." Damian hopped out of his seat and opened the exit door. Ric grabbed his bag and followed after.

 

"Who is here?"

 

"Well now, if it isn't the carnival rat that hitched a ride on the back of royal family lineage." A woman spoke in a deep sultry voice rich with a Middle Eastern accent. "I could kill right now if I wanted to."

 

A tall slender woman dressed in a black skintight body suit appeared from the darkness. She was backed up by a small unit of assassins with weapons at the ready.

Ric tensed up, ready to fight but Damian stepped forward in a protective stance. "Please Mother, you promised this one thing to me. Will you help me?"

 

The smile she gave did nothing to quell the fear Ric was feeling about this decision. 

 

"Of course, my love. Follow me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really happy I was able to pump out another chapter so soon. Unfortunately I'm not always so frequent. I really think Talia is a character with so much potential and another letdown in the current run. I want to give her some room to grow and evolve. Fingers crossed I do her some justice. 😬


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 

It was a long a quiet walk through rocky terrain. Steep dark walls of jagged rock on each side kept them on a one way path into the night. Ric wasn't sure how they knew where to step without light. His footsteps sounded clumsy and deafening compared to the almost silent padding of ninja feet. Ric kept as close as he could to Damian. His thoughts were on an endless of loop of "What the hell am I doing here?" The further he followed, the more the panic started to set in. What if they had no intention of helping him? What if he had just walked right into some organ harvesting maniacs or human trafficking ring? His eyes fell to Damian who seem to sense his worry and stole a glance behind him. 

 

No.

 

He could trust Damian. So far he has been nothing but honest with him. He wants his brother back and he will do anything to get it. If that didn't put his mind at ease a bit, it was the fact that this little munchkin was Robin, and he would never let these assassins lay a finger on him. Ric even noticed at some point the boy had moved his sword from his back to his waist, walking with a hand resting upon the hilt. This woman is his own mother and still he's at the ready. Ric stumbled over a slightly larger stone. Immediately a small hand steadied him and he stared back at eyes that looked black as a chasm in the night.

 

"Be careful and step where I step." Damian spoke in a low tone that still held a slight note of annoyance, but his hand still lingered with a gentle touch until Ric nodded. Talia spoke up. "We are here."

 

Ric's eyes had adjusted to the dark enough but still couldn't see a building of any sort. Damian continued along the path. "It's just around the bend, you'll see."

 

Just as Damian had said, around the corner a wide open area emerged along with a palace decorated in Asian motifs. It had a walled courtyard and barracks to the left. Talia's men dispersed and made their way over to them. Ric and Damian continued after Talia towards the main hall.  They walked passed the deep red pillars and in through the dark mahogany doors. It was much cooler inside much to Ric's relief. He was afraid to make any sudden movements earlier, but now he wiped the sweat that had been trickling down his brow. Talia stopped before a doorway and gestured for the two young men to enter. "Sit and eat. I had some food already prepared for you."

 

"I'm not sure I'm hungry right now." Ric walked in and noticed the low table and a couple of pillows for seats. Two servants removed the lids off of the silver plates revealing some kind of curry and rice. "I suggest you try. As of tomorrow you will be fasting for the surgery." Talia crossed her arms and stood beside her child.

 

"Fasting?" Ric took a reluctant seat and looked up with confusion.

 

"There are certain, side affects that we are expecting with the procedure. We would like it if we could prevent any accidents from happening that we don't want to clean up if you know what I mean."

 

"So you're worried I'm gonna piss myself if you poke the wrong spot?" Ric said as he stabbed his spoon into his food. Talia walked over to his side and took his plate and threw it against the wall. It clattered to the floor in a steaming mess. " **We** won't make any mistakes during the procedure. You, however, will experience a bout of mania that may have you lose control of not just your mind but body as well. If you choose to ignore my directions, go right ahead. But you may find yourself wallowing in your own filth until you become lucid again. It is up to you."

 

Ric glowered at her but said nothing. Damian spoke up. "Mother, perhaps it would be best if you explained what it is you are going to do to him."

 

Talia nodded to one of the servants who began to clean up the mess and sighed. "Very well. You are about to have a procedure I have created called tissue rebirth. Over the years my branch within the League, Leviathan, has been experimenting with Lazarus water. There are less and less Lazarus pits to revive a man from death, but we are finding small veins and underground pools of Lazarus water that we can collect and we use it to treat wounds as long as they are not fatal. So far the tests have been successful. It works on bone, muscle, tissue, and organs. However, we have not tried it on the human brain as of yet." She stared calmly into Ric's eyes. "You will be our first patient."

 

Ric took a dry swallow. "You said you haven't tried it on a human brain. I take it you tried it on something else. Hopefully with successful results that assured you we could do this surgery?"

 

Talia shrugged. "We tried it with a monkey."

 

"And?"

 

"It's alive and performing basic natural functions. He does from time to time bash his head against the wall. We are still gathering data."

 

Ric grabbed his head and groaned. "This sounds terrible! I'm gonna be locked in a padded cell for the rest of my life! I think I'm going to have to decline this surgery. Damian, I'm sorry but you'll just have to accept me the way I am. We can make new memories-"

 

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Talia interrupted. "You see, I have made a great exception for you. This is a sacred place, only meant for those who are worthy. You are just a simple, ordinary man. To let you go as you are would be forbidden. I will only allow you to leave as Nightwing. Even then I am making an exception for the sake of my child."

 

"But if the surgery doesn't work and I lose my mind completely, then what?" Ric shouted.

 

Talia smiled smugly, "I don't think it will matter to you at that point. Do you?"

 

Ric jumped up in anger, but Damian stepped in between them. "Please, both of you need to cut it out! Richard calm down. And Mother you promised me this would work. If you are telling me that the outcome will be worse than it is, than I won't allow this procedure to happen." A fire lit up in the young boy's eyes. "And if you think I'm going to let any of your assassins or you near him, you will be mistaken."

 

Talia stepped back and bowed. "My apologies, my love. I may be exaggerating a little. I just wanted to see if he really has lost all of who he was. You still have some fight in you, Grayson. But you have lost your way, your conviction, and your courage. The man that I knew before would never have crumbled before me just now."

 

" I don't know what you're talking about! I am not lost! What I choose to believe is my own right, and I have courage. But what you are asking for is madness." Ric was trying to keep his anger in check. His fists clenched so tightly he could feel his nails digging into his skin. "Tell me this will work and I will do it. I am not afraid to go under the knife."

 

"But are you afraid to become who you once were?" Talia's smile was faint. "You have been so determined to stay as Ric Grayson that you have pushed away everyone that ever loved you. You ask my son to accept you the way you are now, yet you have made no effort to try and start anew with him before this."

 

Ric looked away. She was right. If he really thought about it, anyone else in his situation would have begun reconnecting with family and friends. They would have accepted help and support. They would have tried to find a way back to some parts and pieces of their previous life, if not to say 'yeah, this isn't me now but it's nice to know it.' He hasn't even looked back at his life as a circus performer. He convinced himself he wanted nothing to do with them because of what happened, but maybe it was because he was afraid he would want to go back to that life again. He was already getting sucked back in with the Nightwings. No matter how much he tried to resist, it was as if it was in his blood to fight, to step into the light. And if he was going to do it, wouldn't it be best if he was back to his peak level of power and technique? He would need his memories back, his experience, his pain. He would need it all back if he were to be Nightwing again. So nothing would surprise him, outwit him, and try to kill him the same way again.

 

"Mother, perhaps we should finish this conversation-"

 

"You're right." Ric admitted, causing Damian to drop his jaw. Ric met Talia's stare again. "I am afraid of who I was. Nightwing lived a life of danger every day and night. He put his life on the line for complete strangers. He stared villains and demons in the face. I don't think I can do that now. It scares me. It really does. But he also had friends and partners and family that I don't. People that had my back when I needed help. I want that back. I need them back. I want my parents back, even if its just their memory." He felt hot tears roll down his warm cheek, but he didn't look away. "I am trusting you, Talia. Please, help me get them all back." He looked back at Damian who was doing his best to keep his tears in check.

 

"I want my brother back too."

 

Talia nodded. "I see. Well then, get some rest Grayson. Tomorrow you will meet the doctor performing the surgery and we will get you fixed up by the end of the day. Damian will show you to your room. Goodnight boys." She left them alone.

 

Damian suddenly shot towards Ric and he barely kept his balance as the boy wrapped his arms around him again. "Thank you, Richard. Thank you."

 

Ric let out a small chuckle."You don't have to thank me. I owe you so much Damian. I've acted like an asshole to all of you. None of you deserved that. Plus,I have been lying to myself. But I promise you tomorrow its all going to change, you'll see. Tomorrow I'll be a new, uh, old me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost didn't get this chapter up (computer issues). But I'm pretty happy with how this came out. Up next, a dangerous mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Dr. Moon. A small character from the comics that I think fits perfectly for this story.

Chapter 4

 

The walk to their rooms was quiet. It was only when they reached Ric's designated room did Damian speak up. "Sleep well, brother. I will be here for you early to take you to the lab."

 

"Sure." Ric ran a hand through his hair.  "Uh, Damian? Did your mother and I have a difficult relationship? I get the feeling I'm not her most favorite person." Ric asked as he peered into the small, nondescript room. He looked back to see Damian thinking over his words carefully. "Well, there is not much of a relationship between you two. To be honest, you both try to stay away from each other. You don't trust her and she does not trust you."

 

"And do you think, if it were the 'real' me, I would trust her to do as she says? I know you said she promised you, but if there is no trust between her and I, how hard would it be for her to hurt or kill me on that table and say she had done everything she could for me?"

 

With this Damian glared. "Because it will not happen!" Ric understood his anger, but there was a little bit of self preservation on Ric's mind. Damian noticed and his expression softened. "Do you trust me or not, Richard?"

 

"Of course I trust you."

 

"Then trust me, and I will make sure nothing happens to you. My mother may be extreme in her beliefs and methods, but she a good mother to me. She has made up for so much and she is continuing to change for the better. I see it. It is hard for others to see it, I understand that, but believe me when I say she will not betray me. Not now, not ever. Your life means so much to me, she dare not snuff it out." Damian reached out and placed his hand on Ric's arm. "I will be in there with you. I told mother I will not be apart from you this entire trip. Does knowing this, comfort you now?"

 

Surprisingly, it did. A slow soft smile spread across Ric's face. "Yeah, it does. I'm sorry about before, what I said. I trust you, Damian. I trust you with my life. I don't think I've ever felt anything more assured in this new life of mine until now." Damian nodded and stepped back, ready to leave. Ric entered his room but stopped to ask one more question. "Were we a good team?"

 

With this Damian grinned something wicked. "Hell no. We were the best."

 

~

Ric slept as best he could on a small cot that was low to the ground and the air within was still humid. If he didn't know better, he would've thought his room looked more like a prison cell than a bedroom. Bars on the windows and the small chamber pot didn't help either. But as soon as the sun began to rise Ric didn't have to shift uncomfortably over again as a loud bang on the iron door signaled it was time. He opened it hoping Damian would be on the other side but was instead met with a soldier. He didn't say anything but moved aside for Ric to step out and follow him. He was led down several flights of stairs. The further they descended the darker it became until torches were brought out to lead the way. He was happy to know it was much cooler down below, but he became aware of a strange odor that made his stomach churn. It was a strange blend of rotting meat and electrical fumes. It brought thoughts of Frankenstein to his mind and was grateful he hadn't eaten last night. They made their way to the end of the tunnel and the soldier knocked on the double doors. Damian opened it and Ric was nudged through by the soldier. 

 

"Good morning. That better not be bacon I smell cooking on the range." Ric scrunched his nose as he realized the smell was coming from this room. Damian shook his head.

 

"Apologies, an unfortunate setback in another experiment. Do not be alarmed. Follow me." Damian and Ric made their way through what looked like a B movie labratory. If it wasn't for the fact that Ric was about to be a part of the scenery here, he wouldn't have believed the room to have real merit. There were tanks filled with variations of green liquid. Strange computers and machines humming quietly were on every table surface. Jars of unknown tissue and organic material lined the walls. Ric's arm received a light tap from the younger boy to motion their continued trek to the back where another room labeled operating room was brightly lit. It looked quite similar to one you would find in a hospital. When Ric looked inside, he noticed Talia garbed in greenish scrubs and gloves, standing next to a middle aged man in a white lab coat. 

 

"Richard, I would like you to meet Dr. Moon. He will be performing the surgery on you momentarily." Talia walked over to a table and picked up a set of scrubs. Dr. Moon shuffled over in his covered shoes and bowed. "It will be my pleasure in doing so, good man. You must be overjoyed and overcome with pride to be taking part in a revolutionary procedure that could change the fates of men for years to come." His eyes had a strange glint to them and Ric took a step back. "Your mind will be good as new, good man. Worthy man."

 

"Uh, sure." Ric looked over to see where his brother was. Damian was stepping behind a screen to change into the scrubs his mother had handed to him. "Look, I don't know about all that 'fates of men' stuff, but if you can get my brain unscrambled and my memories back, I will be...joyed?"

 

"Now, Richard if you could disrobe and have a seat on the table here." Dr. Moon patted the stainless steel table with his gloved hand. Ric shifted slightly under the gaze of the three others in the room. Why couldn't he get to change behind the curtain? He shook his head and quickly changed into the gown. He hopped up onto the table and shivered at the cold feel of metal on his backside. He awkwardly met the slightly manic eyes staring back. "I am just going to do a standard check up first. Then we will be inserting an I.V. into your left arm and injecting you with a numbing agent. Following this you will be strapped down and your head will be clamped to the table. We cannot have you jerking and moving around while poking you with a large needle now can we?" Ric shook his head, feeling slightly numb.

 

"You will be awake for this procedure but you shouldn't feel anything as it happens. Once we're done we will keep you strapped down until the mania subsides." Talia added.

 

"So I will go crazy? You're sure about this?" Ric felt his heart rate speed up. 

 

"It is an unfortunate side effect. However, it should pass quickly. The serum will work fast and will flow through the rest of your body. There could be muscle spasms, involuntary vocal spasms, and thoughts of violence and blood lust. All temporary. This we have seen in the other patients and all have made a one hundred percent recovery." Talia walked behind Ric and tied his gown shut for him. She leaned close to his ear. "Once this is over, I must tell you," she whispered softly, "I hope I never have to see you again, Richard Grayson."

 

She stepped away and returned to her son's side. Ric did his best not to growl at her in front of Damian. He wasn't sure what her problem with him was, but he could tell even if this didn't work, he was going to go right back to not trusting her again. He took a deep breath and simply nodded.

 

Everything went as clockwork and Ric now found himself pinned down and elevated to be level with Dr. Moon's shoulders. Talia pushed a tray with a few tools on it that looked to be more for home renovation than surgery. "We will have to remove the metal plate they screwed into your skull. You won't need it after this." The man chuckled. 

 

Ric felt nervous but he body did not tense up. He felt like someone trapped in a box and that box was his body. His breathing quickened and the heart rate monitor sped up. "We would like to proceed now, Richard. Are you ready?" Talia asked.

 

Before he answered, there was a strange pressure around his hand. He realized it was Damian's hand squeezing his. He did his best to swallow but his mouth was dry. "I'm ready."

 

Ric tried not to look at the surgical table. He tried to tune out the doctor's voice as he described each action he took. "Starting the incision now."

 

The following sound he could not tune out. A loud sound of a drill and vibrations rocked through his body. This told him they were removing the plate which meant his brain was now going to be exposed. He tried not to think about it and concentrated on Damian's hand or what he could feel of it. Talia was handed the bloody drill and placed down on the tray and it was pushed into his view. Ric decided it was best to just shut his eyes. 

"Ah, Mistress Talia if you please, I left the bag of saline over there, would you be so kind?" Dr. Moon's voice sounded muffled behind his surgical mask. He heard Talia's voice further away. "Of course doctor. Now you should be administering the serum." 

 

"Of course, Mistress Talia. I am doing it as we speak." 

 

Ric braced himself to feel something at this point, but nothing happened. Even as he heard a pleasurable sound emit from the strange doctor's lips, Ric was uncertain of the results.

 

"His wounds are healing. Magnificent!"

 

Ric opened his eyes and searched for Damian. His younger brother looked back at him with a show of confidence and satisfaction. "See? Everything is going to be-"

 

Suddenly bright spots flashed behind Ric's eyes and he felt his entire body go rigid. A river of fire spread through his veins and Ric bit back a cry. Damian squeezed his hand and barked at the doctor. "What's happening?"

 

"This is routine my good boy. It will pass." Dr. Moon stepped away from the table, rubbing his rubber gloved hands together. They were covered in blood.

 

That was the last of sound and sight Ric took notice of as he felt a shadow and thick blanket of silence engulf him. All there was in that darkness was pain. Pain. 

 

Pain.

 

Pain.

 

There was so much he couldn't understand how much pain his body could feel all at once.

 

He tried to call out but he wasn't sure if his voice still worked. He tried to get up, but he knew how futile that was as he was still pinned to the table. He was aware of his thoughts and his feelings and there was nothing he could do to show them. He was scared. He was hurting. He wanted to call out to someone, but he just couldn't remember who he was supposed to call out to. 

 

What's happening to me?

 

What's happening?

 

What?

 

"Hello, young detective."

 

Who?

 

 

~

 

"Mother!"

 

"Calm down, Damian. I told you this was to be expected." Talia tried to soothe her son but noticed a small puddle on the floor that didn't look like blood. She walked over to it and knelt down to examine it.

 

"Something isn't right, mother. He's not showing signs of mania. He's just convulsing. He's in pain! Tell me what is going on?" Damian looked down at her with confusion.

 

She touched it and brought it up to her face. A green droplet formed at the pad and fell back down onto the grey floor. "What is this?" she whispered and looked further under the table. A small broken syringe was wedged against the hydraulic lift. She jumped up and pointed at Dr. Moon. "What have you done, doctor?"

 

What she got back was a sinister laugh. "Oh, what a fix this will be my dear Mistress. It worked! I dare say it worked!" Moon let out a maniacal laugh.

 

She snatched him up by his lapels and slammed him into the wall. "What is the meaning of this? What did you give him?"

 

"Do not be alarmed my dear." A strange voice replied. Damian and Talia both spun around to face the body on the table. Damian reached over to the controls to lower Richard down. He let out a gasp when he saw Richard's eyes open and a smile upon his lips. "There is no reason to fear."

 

It was Richard's voice, but something was wrong with the way he spoke. It was smoother, using a slightly lower register. It was strangely familiar and it worried him. And he had every reason to worry when he heard the next few words.

 

"Hello, my grandson. And welcome home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaaah! I had to restart this chapter twice and then my power went out during a thunderstorm. It was like life was trying to stop me from finishing this part. And I have been wanting to get to this for a while. Things are going to start picking up here. Sorry if it's been a little slow burning until now. I hope I can get another chapter out soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lofty plans for the League of Shadows.

Chapter 5

 

Damian felt his body go cold, but the shaking was from anger. "What have you done to Grayson, grandfather? Where is he?" He balled his fists as tightly as he could to keep from lashing out at his 'elder'. Here he had been hoping to have Richard back to his old self only to have him completely ripped away from him by his sinister grandfather, Ra's Al Ghul. A bitter taste formed in the back of his throat as he saw Richard's face contort in an uncharacteristic sneer.

 

"If Dr. Moon's new serum has done its work, Richard Grayson is no more." Ra's looked down over his new body, admiring the new muscles and looks. An assistant handed him a mirror and he smiled into it. Even that didn't look like Richard's smile, Damian thought.

 

"A new serum? I do not understand, father. How exactly does it work? And why?" Talia asked.

 

"I'm glad you asked, my dear. Dr. Moon told me about your work with the Lazarus water and I must say I was impressed. But you failed to see the true power of your serum. Why just repair tissue when you can incorporate new tissue in and replace the old tissue? So I had Dr. Moon take a sample of my brain tissue and inserted it into young Grayson here."

 

"I also added a few mixtures of my own creation to amplify the psychic power necessary to keep you tethered properly." Dr. Moon added.

 

"You are tethered? So you are still in your own body as well?" Talia frowned.

 

"For now. I wanted to see how this first procedure worked. Now that is has proven successful, I plan on completely transferring my entire brain over to this body." Ra's handed the mirror back to the assistant and turned to his family. "For so long I have searched for an heir worthy of the Demon's Head. For many years I have sought your father as the only one, but foolishly he has declined my offer, repeatedly." Ra's face darkened. "Instead he chooses to try and keep cities like Gotham afloat and for what? And with his choice in less than pure lineage of successors, I have lost all faith in him. If he wants to resist me, so be it."

 

Ra's stepped close to Damian and looked down at him. "Let him try and resist me now."

 

Talia knelt down and bowed and Damian shot a glare at her. Ra's reached over, gently grabbed his chin and pulled it up to meet his eyes. "I know this young man means something to you. For the longest time I did not understand why. I want you to know that I have given up on trying to change your mind about that. Instead, I have given you the gift of bringing him into the family. I know he raised you for a while and was responsible for placing you in the Robin suit. He saw your potential and began your rise to power. So I chose him to be my new body for the next century, for you Damian."

 

Damian didn't trust himself to say anything. He could feel the tiny pinpricks of tears behind his eyes. He grandfather was insane if he thought that this would please Damian. Ra's smiled. "I believe now you can stay with us and continue your training in the League. For I will be taking over now." He turned to Talia with a cold look. "I must say I am disappointed with your lack of movement, daughter. Simply sitting idly by in your science studies is not enough. We are losing our reputation and threat level. Whispers of our weakening are spreading throughout the world. What have you to say for this?"

 

Talia looked up with a stern face. "I no nothing of such rumors. We have not been-"

 

Ra's struck her across the face and Damian lunged at him, no longer able to contain his rage. "How dare you!" He made a grab for his waist to tackle him but realized his grandfather now had the reflexes of Nightwing. He missed and felt his legs being swiped out from under him. He recovered with a tuck and roll. He tried to spin around quickly, but Ra's was quicker and grabbed him by his scrubs. Damian winced in anticipation as Ra's other hand was ready to strike when suddenly he froze. It gave Damian a chance to shake himself loose and run over to his mother. She had already recovered and was staring in confusion at Ra's. 

 

"Mother, are you okay?"

 

"I'm fine, but look!" Talia whispered. They both looked back at Grayson's body convulsing again. Dr. Moon ran up to him and tried to get his attention. "Master! Master can you hear me?" They all watched helplessly and it continued for a minute. Then his body relaxed. Damian held his breath hoping his brother would be back, but that died as Dr. Moon was snatched up by his throat. "What on earth just happened? You said it should last at least a day! How is it that he was able to stop me?" Ra's barked.

 

"I-I do not know! He shouldn't have been able to. I don't understand!" Dr. Moon babbled. Ra's growled and threw him to the ground. "Well see that you figure it out! I want to make sure that I will have complete control when we start the next phase."

 

Ra's turned his attention back to Damian and Talia. "Now, am I going to have your cooperation and compliance, or am I going to have to include you in the next phase as well?"Damian was about to tell him to shove it when he felt his mother squeeze his arm. "Of course we are with you, father. We look forward to seeing you bring this world into order, as you promised."

 

This seem to please Ra's and he once again flashed a smile. "Good. Please have the men assemble in the courtyard. I will be addressing everyone with the next step in my plan. You doctor," he frowned at the shaking man, "will look into the issue at hand and fix it."

 

"Yes, of course! I will not fail you." He bowed and ran to his office. Talia pulled Damian back towards the door. "We shall go now and get everything ready for you."

 

Ra's simply nodded and glanced at his reflection in a glass jar. It distorted the usually handsome face into something horrific. He smiled. "Yes, this body will do just nicely. Let us see the detective take on his legendary Boy Wonder."

 

~

 

 

When Talia and Damian were out of the lab, Damian shook off his mother's hand angrily. "What the hell is this mother? How can you just go along with this? You promised me you would not let any harm come to him. Now he's lost and grandfather has taken over his body! I can't believe this!"

 

"Hush, my boy! There are spies everywhere."

 

"What does it matter?"

 

"It matters because there might be a way to get him back. But I need you to lower your voice." Talia whispered and pulled Damian into the shadows. "I did promise you and I am truly sorry I did not see these events occurring. But there is still a chance that the operation worked."

 

"What do mean, 'it worked'? That is not Grayson!" Damian growled.

 

"I know, but he is still in there. You heard them. When he attacked you, he was kept from striking you. Richard would never hit you, would he?"

 

Damian calmed down a little and sighed. "No. He wouldn't."

 

"He may be trying to fight off your grandfather, but we need to try and help him" Talia glanced around the dark wide tunnel at the other random unmarked doors. "Father is here somewhere. If this experiment is only temporary, it would mean that his original body is somewhere safe and perhaps in some kind of trance or unconscious state."

 

Damian caught on. "If we can disrupt the connection, it could free Grayson."

 

"Exactly. So for now, we play along. We must also find out what his next plan is and try to put a stop to that as well." Talia smoothed his hair away from his brow and placed a kiss there. "I will still hold onto that promise made, my love. I will bring your brother back to you."

 

They made their way back up and made the immediate preparations that Ra's wanted. Damian and Talia headed up to the top balcony of the palace and looked down at the mass of assassins lined in formation awaiting the Demon's Head. Damian gritted his teeth as he heard the soft footsteps behind him and refused to look his way. Ra's brushed by him and Damian could still smell the faint scent of Richard's cologne breeze by. Focus, he thought. Ra's raised his hand, signalling the beginning of his speech.

 

"It is I, Ra's Al Ghul. Your true leader. I have been reborn and have come back to you in order to continue the mission of the League of Shadows. For too long, this world has let corruption and violence uphold and rule the people. Our mission in life is to bring this pillars down and free the people from their materialistic shackles!" Ra's words were spoken with Grayson's tone and it made Damian's stomach wrench up. It was like hearing his brother become a crazed tyrant. He couldn't help himself and he looked to the man beside him. There was a strange spark of zeal in his eyes and a grin that used to express mischief and playfulness, now showed cruelty.

 

"We will start our mission in the country of Orkavia. There we will take out the corrupt dictators and have the people become the citizens of the first new country founded by us."

 

Orkavia was a small country in the Middle East that has continually been in turmoil for the past thirty decades. As one cruel dictator fell, another would take its place. Damian was surprised by the bold move but was aware that the League has accomplished taking great cities down in the past. But an entire country! His grandfather was truly taking a huge step.

 

 "Your first orders are to assemble at the port and get the ships ready. We sail for the north shores. We will first take the small village on the coast and capture the people there. We will take them back with us so we can begin the next phase of my new order."

 

"What exactly is that, grandfather?" Damian was able to get the words out neutrally. Ra's looked to him and smiled. "They too, will receive the serum."

 

Damian's eyes widened. "What?"

 

"What better way to have people follow you than simply having them all think the same way? Each will receive the serum infused with my brain tissue and I will control them all. They will do everything I command. Every belief will be followed. No rule will be broken. It will be, perfect."

 

"But how can you control thousands, no, billions of people?" Damian asked.

 

"This is why we are starting small. We must test the strength of Dr. Moon's formulas. If all goes well with this test, we will continue to spread the serum to the next village, then the next, and finally the larger cities." Ra's lifted his hands into the air. "Once we have the surrounding cities, we will take the capital. With everyone under my control, no word will spread of our conquest, at least not until it is too late. Once we take the country," his balled up his fists and brought them down, "we can take on the entire continent. Then the world."

 

He returned to face his troops. "Now go! We leave as soon as possible! We strike in the cover of night!" The men dispersed and Talia bowed. "I will oversee the preparations for you. Damian will you join me?" She reached out for him but was blocked by Ra's.

 

"I would like to spend some time with my grandson, Talia. Please go see to the men. Damian," he offered his hand. "shall we take a walk?"

 

Damian shot a quick glance at his mother who nodded softly. "Yes grandfather." He felt strange holding his hand. It wasn't friendly or loving, but stiff and aggressive. Damian didn't want to leave his mother's side, but part of him wanted to see if what she said was true about Grayson still being somewhere inside. Talia stayed put and watched the two leave the balcony. She waited until she knew they were out of sight and began her search to find Ra's body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this was a chapter without Grayson. I promise you that will change. I appreciate all the comments and I am glad people are enjoying it. I will turn out another chapter soon. My creative juices are flowing now and I want to finish this as soon as possible. Before they dry up again (sigh).


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the mind games begin.

Chapter 6

 

_Where?_

 

_Where am I?_

 

_What the hell just happened to me?_

 

Dick felt like he was in a dream. He was floating but unable to move. All he could see was an eerie shade green light surrounding him but no direct light source. Even his voice sounded muffled as if he were under water. He wasn't sure how he had gotten here and tried to make sense of what he last remembered. Something about a test. The League of Shadows. Talia.

 

Damian.

 

"Hello?"

 

"Hello there, young detective." A familiar voice emerged from the green haze followed by the man that spoke it. Dick growled. "Ra's!"

 

"Well it is good to know that despite having lost everything that made you who you were, it is good to know you still remember what is most important."

 

"What the hell did you do to me? Where am I you crazy old bastard?"

 

"Do you not know your own mind? Well I guess it is not yours anymore." Ra's grinned. 

 

"What have you done to me?" Dick shouted back.

 

Ra's ignored this shook his head with disappointment. "Although it displeases me to see you still here, it does give us a chance to say goodbye. I must say with your contribution to my cause, you have given me the strength, technique, and youth to aid me for possibly the next millennia."

 

He stepped closer. "With this now I can continue my campaign to end the corruption and bring all of this world's so-called leaders to their knees." Ra's stopped right in front of Dick. "Where they belong."

 

Dick snapped back. "And what about your corruption, huh? Just because the world is not to your liking doesn't give you the right to take it over! You know what your problem is? You don't like the idea of people not seeing you as their savior. Like you're some great god. Well I'm telling you you're just a old man afraid of dying! And if you think we are going to let you get away with this, you can think again! Damian and I will put a stop to it!"

 

A flicker of anger flashed on his face but then gave way to arrogance. "Hah! How amusing! What can you possibly do in here? I'll admit you may have stunned me earlier but Dr. Moon will rectify that soon enough. Once I have complete control of both your mind and body, nothing will stop me from bringing forth a wave of fiery cleansing to this disgusting display of what you call, humanity. And as for Damian, he will be my right hand through all of this." 

 

"If you think he will go along with this-"

 

"He has no choice. Besides," Ra's stepped back. "He would never leave his 'brother's' side. He is with me right now in fact."

 

"Yeah, well we're not the only ones who can stop you." Dick growled back.

 

"I will take care of him too." Ra's gave his signature cape a swipe. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a country to invade." The old man turned around and began walking back into the green emptiness.

 

"Get back here! Ra's, I will stop you!" Dick tried to move forward but Ra's glanced over his shoulder and raised his right hand. "But you can't go anywhere. See?"

 

Suddenly Dick's wrists and ankles were shackled. He tugged and tried to kick but to no avail. "No!"

 

"So long Richard Grayson, false heir to the Bat legacy. Oh, and thank you for the loaner." Ra's disappeared but his laugh echoed long afterward.

 

"If you think you can stop me, you've got another thing coming!" Dick spoke with a dark fury. "You don't know my mind. You don't know my past, you never cared for it."He gave another tug against restraints and let out a huff. 

 

"Get a load of this."

 

~

 

"You have been quiet for some time, grandfather. Are you well?" Damian asked. They had been walking along the cliff side overlooking the port. He could see most of the soldiers moving quickly moving equipment onto the deck and making small repairs. He glanced back when no words were spoken to see a strange smile upon the handsome face. Ra's was brought back to the boy by his side.

 

"Yes I am fine. I was just...thinking to myself." He chuckled his dark joke and Damian fought the urge to punch him. Maybe it would knock his grandfather right out of Grayson's head. Maybe it would just make things worse. Probably. Instead he swallowed and continued cautiously. "You said you wanted to speak to me about something."

 

Ra's became serious again and nodded. "Family."

 

"What about it?"

 

"You have been graced with the lineage of two powerful family names. You are the bridge of cohesion between the two. But you must recognize you are an Al Ghul first. Promise me you will remember this in the future." Ra's placed his hands upon Damian's shoulders.

 

"Why are you bringing this up? What are you  going to have me do?" Damian looked up into bold blue eyes. They were the color of a perfect summer day. He now regrets not asking Grayson to take him to the beach when it was warm. 

 

"Once we take Orkavia, you and I will head to Gotham City."

 

"Why?"

 

"We must go see your father. He will hear news of our victory and be getting ready for action. We will meet him as Richard Grayson and Damian Wayne ready to help. He will allow us to get close so we can tranquilize him and bring him back here where he will get the serum as well." There was nothing perfect in his eyes now. Damian's heart began to pound.

 

"It won't work. He will know you're not him. He knows Grayson better than anyone. I tried to mimic Grayson's voice right down to the cadence and he still knew it was me."

 

"But they are estranged now, yes? Absence can the memories dull and fade. It can bring certain traits to the forefront that can distract the heart and make it yearn for the deception to be real. And with you going along with the charade he will believe the lie. I need you to do this for me, Damian."

 

 _No, no, no!_ Damian shouted in his mind. "Yes, of course grandfather."

 

Ra's smiled gently down at him. "I know it will take time for you to adjust to my integration with Richard but over time it will be like it always was. You will have your brother and grandfather both at once." He looked out the sea and sighed. "I must say I never really liked the boy. So unpolished and unruly. Born from what, poor travelers with no permanent place in this world? Living under a traveling big top and catering to the wealthy with cheap tricks and over the top feats. I never knew what your father saw in him. Or what you see in him either. Perhaps he was a pet to you?"

 

Damian had to frown at this. He couldn't contain his anger anymore. "No! He was a mentor and a friend when no one else believed in me. When father disappeared and was thought dead, he took his place. He helped me, cared about me, and gave me the title Robin." Damian stepped out of Ra's grip. "You have no idea what an honor it was, to have the blessings of the very first Robin. To be told that I had earned a right to become part of the Bat family. When everyone else tried to shut me out, he let me in. And I fought it. I fought with him. And still he believed in me. We learned together and trained together. He taught me things I never knew before."

 

Damian realized he was letting his emotions run away and tried to dial it back. "Anyway, you may not understand the appeal of Grayson, but you wouldn't have chosen him to be your vessel if you didn't think he was worthy of your being. You could have chosen anyone you wanted to begin your trial procedure."

 

"True, but his memory loss was what really helped in the decision. With most of his memories gone, Dr. Moon thought it would give me an edge in taking him over." Ra's began to walk back to the palace. "I will not lie and tell you that was the only reason, but it was a big factor."

 

Damian followed along. "What else was there?"

 

"Well, as I said before you seem to have a fascination with him. I thought you would like the appearance of a familiar face. He is in peak physical shape." Ra's gave a small snort. "Lastly, he is quite handsome. So a minor indulgence there."

 

Damian rolled his eyes behind his grandfather's back. "So you don't have full control of him yet." Ra's stopped but didn't turn around. "A small tear that can be easily patched up. Are you thinking of trying something?" His voice was tight and cold.

 

"No, I just want to know if there is going to be any problems during the raid." Damian held his breath waiting for the response.

 

Ra's stood still as a stone for a moment. "Of course not. As I said before, Dr. Moon will fix this. In fact let us head back. I think I've given him enough time to iron out the kinks to his serum." 

 

As they began their trek back, Ra's took a step down on the rocky terrain and suddenly lost sight of the Shadow Palace. He was falling! What he saw now before him was sky and darkness. He could barely breath as the atmosphere was so thin at this height. His arms flailed and his eyes grew wide with fright as they looked downwards. Far below was a city the size of his chamber carpet. He let out a yelp and heard his own voice.

 

"No! What's this?" Ra's couldn't stop. He seem to fall faster and faster. The city grew bigger and wider. "Stop! Stop! No!" But he didn't stop, he braced his arms out helplessly as if he could hold himself back by shear will power. His blue striped gloves made him realize this wasn't real. This was a memory. Grayson's memory. The brat was doing this somehow. Ra's tried to wake himself up and surmised that Richard had control again. "You cannot fight me, boy. I have greater power over you."

 

Still he continued to fall. The skyscrapers were terrifyingly close now. He was heading right for one of them. He could even hear the faint sounds of the streets through the wind. "Grrrr! Let me out of this nightmare!" Ra's tried to focus with all him might. Just as he was about to be impaled by the iron tip of the building, everything went black. He felt his body hit the ground roughly.

 

"No!" He shouted not in his regular voice. He was back.

 

"Grandfather?"  His vision had returned and Damian was kneeling beside him with a look of confusion. "Are you okay?"

 

He gathered himself quickly and stood up. "Yes! Quit asking me questions and answer me now! What did you see?" Ra's glared back at the boy.

 

Damian's brow furrowed. "Well, you were walking down the trail and suddenly you fell. It was like you took a bad step I guess."

 

"Was he here?" Ra's barked.

 

"He who?"

 

"Don't think me a fool boy, you know who I mean! Grayson! Was he here?"

 

"No, as I said, you took a bad step. Or that is what it looked like from where I stood. You didn't convulse like before and... you didn't say anything until you hit the ground."

 

"Is that the truth?" Ra's wiped the dirt off his cape and stared hard at Damian. The boy remained neutral. "I promise you father. You fell."

 

"Indeed." Ra's muttered to himself. "If you are lying I will find out. Let us double our speed and quickly get back so that imbecile can stop these ridiculous illusions."

 

Damian nodded and jogged along with him. 

 

~

 

Talia breathed a sigh of relief as she heard a soft click and the wall in front of her gave way. She knew her father had many secret chambers and walkways for keeping safe treasures and easy getaways. She just hoped she had found the right one. It was deep underneath the palace beyond the busier halls of the research bay. She brought out a small match and lit it so she could make her way safely down a winding flight of stairs. Once she reached the bottom she blew it out. There was a glow from a giant tank that stood before her. It was covered in a light sheen of condensation. She reached out and brushed it away to reveal the true body of Ra's al Ghul floating in a yellowish green water. He was unconscious and an oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth. There were wires and I.V. tubes protruding from his chest and arms that wound around him and came up out of the water to connect to the machines that hummed quietly in the corner.

 

She looked over to the first screen that held his vitals. They were low but steady. The next seem to show brain wave activity that seemed to be extremely active. At first she thought about turning it off, but then wondered if he would simply wake up and see her betrayal and that would not stop him from continuing with his plans. She looked back to the vitals and the small thought of switching that off came and went. He was crazy but he was her father as well. She didn't have it in her to end him, especially this way. There had to be a way to stop him from spreading his influence. She swiped away more liquid and gasped. 

 

The top of his skull was missing and his brain was exposed. She remembered what Dr. Moon and her father had said. They were looking to transplant his brain into Grayson's head. From there they would be using his tissue to make an infinite amount of serum to give to everyone in Orkavia so Ra's could control them. All they would have to do is keep healing the brain tissue with her Lazarus serum. All she would have to do is prevent them from accessing the tissue. She now knew what she had to do, but she would need time. And they would need Grayson to take back control of his body. That would come down to her son. It had to. He would be the only one who could reach him. How he would do that without her father finding out would be the trick, but she knew Damian was resourceful.

 

"Okay, now to hurry back for the mission. I hope all is well above." 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 

Damian walked along behind Ra's at a dead man's pace. His mind reeled with possible scenario's where he might be able to subdue the man in front of him, but the next steps after were unclear. He wasn't sure if his mother had been successful in finding his grandfather's original body. He fixated his stare on Ra's back. The cape billowed and swirled with the ocean breeze. When it fluttered to the side he could make out his strong back muscles and perfect frame. Grayson had a way of walking as if he were about to walk out into a giant spotlight. No matter if he was walking into the bat cave or the bathroom, there was a lightness and poise about it. When he was excited he bounced around like a bird in a park. When he was tired or upset he moved slowly but still with grace. He was never one to slouch or shuffle along. The body ahead of him walked stiff and robotic. He couldn't tell how or what grandfather was feeling. Damian knew how he felt thought and oh how he despised him right now.

All Damian wanted was to bring back the one person he truly connected with. You could ask why it was so necessary for such a radical experiment to be done. Damian had gone over and over in his head why he needed Grayson to take part in this. For the longest time Damian reasoned it was for Richard's sake; and it was. It was important for him to be aware of his past and regain his training and technique. He moved more like a brawler or cage fighter now. It was so unnatural in Damian's eyes. It was also logical to reconnect to the bat family for investigative purposes. They had the know how and resources needed to solve crimes. Yes, Richard was getting by and of course he had the help of the 'Nightwings' so it wasn't as if he was completely helpless. 

So why make him go through with it? Plain and simple. Damian needed him. People were so complicated, but Richard made it so easy. He was so easy to talk to; So simple to reach for when he felt like he was falling. Maybe it was because he wasn't afraid to fall with you. There was this aura about him. He was so warm and inviting, like a campfire bright and crackling on a cold autumn night. You just had to scoot a little closer to it. To him. Richard never treated him like he was an inconvenience, even when he was. He also allowed him to be himself. For a long time he didn't know what that meant. Before this, he was an assassin. A soldier in the army of the League. A pawn. Then Richard, and the others (although not so much if you asked him) made him see that he was more than what he was trained to be. He was also a boy. A boy who shouldn't miss out on the opportunity to live like a boy should. With friends and adventure; with the chance to decide his future. A son. Someone who could be loved even with his faults, and he had those. He wasn't perfect as his mother claimed he was. He may have been a perfect killing machine at one point, but now he realized their was so much he needed to improve. His mother would tell him that such matters were not important to the mission at hand, but Damian began to see that they were. He was determined to become a man that knew right from wrong. To be someone that could do the right thing. It felt good to do deeds that helped another in need. He wanted to be that hero. He wanted to be a good person. He wanted to be someone like-

 

Suddenly his grandfather dropped to his hands and knees and began to convulse again. Damian ran up beside him and crouched. "Grandfather!"

He stared in shock as he saw his eyes were open but they looked to be rolled back in his head so nothing but the whites were visible. His hands grabbed fists full of rocks and dirt. His caped shuddered around him. Damian slowly reached out to touch his shoulders when a strained reply came back. "Damian!"

"Richard." He whispered in case it was not the right person. He didn't have to worry.

"I don't think I can hold him for long." Richard voice was strained. Sweat began to drip down his temple. "You need to keep the villagers safe!"

"Grayson we need to get him out of your head first. That's the priority." Damian squeezed his shoulder as if to assure himself he was really his brother.

"Not. Going. To happen. I'm not strong enough. I'm losing control... he won't be caught off guard... so easily from here...on. Make sure the villagers...are safe. Protect. Them....please!" Richard's voice wavered with desperation. It made Damian's heart clench to see him in such agony. "The people...first. I'll try to fight again...later."

Richard gasped and a sharp jolt made his body go rigid. Still he spoke with what little strength he had left. "Don't let him know...I...was here. Don't...let..."

 

"I won't." Damian replied quickly. "We don't want him to know we can talk to you."

Richard then gave what he could muster up as a smile. "Good...I...lo-" He choked. "...Dami..." And with that Damian watched as his shoulders relaxed and he collapsed down to the ground.

"No!" 

~

Damian did his best to hide Richard's return but he knew his grandfather was too paranoid to completely trust him. They made their way back into the palace and made a beeline straight to the science bay. Ra's burst through the double doors, startling the timid and unstable doctor. "Master! I-I believe I have fixed the issue. I have a syringe ready for you if you are ready-"

"Of course I'm ready you buffoon! I was ready the first time if I recall. There shouldn't have to be a second!" Ra's growled at him. Dr. Moon simply nodded like bobble head toy. "No anesthetic needed, just give it to me." Ra's swiped Dr. Moon's paperwork off his desk and lay down upon it. Damian wanted to slap the syringe right out of his hand but could only watch helplessly as it happened quicker than he could react. Just as soon as Ra's opened his eyes, Dr. Moon jammed the needle into the socket and pushed down on the plunger. Damian gasped as he watched Ra's jerk and shake. He screamed out in pain and clutched his skull. Dr. Moon stumbled back slack jawed in awe. Ra's back arched off the table as his screams got louder. He worried for a moment that something had gone wrong when the cries died out. The body went limp and both waited in silence to see who would greet them. A moment later, he began to move. 

"Ra's al Ghul, are you with us?" Dr. Moon slid closer to the rousing body. "Yes. It is I." Came the reply and Damian's heart sank. Ra's shook his head and held his right eye in pain. "How do you feel?" The doctor asked. Ra's glared back at him. "Like I was stabbed in the eye. However, I feel like myself."

How wrong that statement was, Damian thought bitterly. He felt a slight breeze beside him and knew his mother had joined them. He didn't dare look at her in fear of his grandfather sensing some secret message between them. 

"The men are ready for voyage, father. The ships are stocked and the cages have been stowed below." Talia informed. Ra's hopped off the table and grinned. "Very good daughter. I believe we can commence with our plan. Let us hurry. I cannot wait to see the next phase of our mission."

Ra's went ahead as Talia and Damian made their way to the armory. She pulled him aside before they entered the room. "I have found him. His body is suspended in some kind of coma or hibernation. He's attached to life support machines."

"Can we shut them down?"

"I do not believe so. I worry it will only wake him and he will see what we are doing. Do not worry my love, I think I have a plan. I don't have enough time to do it before we leave so we must go through with the invasion." Talia stroked his forehead, seeing the disappointment in the news. Damian looked up with a glint in his eyes. "I spoke to him. Not too long ago. Before..." his voice faded out for a second but he swallowed and continued. "He said to protect the people. He would try to regain control later."

"I don't know if that will be possible now with another dose of Dr. Moon's poison." Talia shook her head. "Damian, I'm afraid we must consider the possibility-"

"No! He's still in there, mother. I know it." Damian argued. "I don't care how many doses that mad scientist gives him. Richard will fight it. We just need to buy him some time. He'll figure out a way to outsmart grandfather and help us save the villagers."

"He's not your father, Damian."

Damian glared at her. "He doesn't have to be. Don't underestimate him. He's trained with father longer than I have. I told you he's unbreakable."

Talia sighed. "If you say so. Let us get ready and see what we can do about sabotaging the mission."

~

Richard grimaced and tried desperately to remove himself from his bondage. His wrists and ankles were shackled with thick chains which were magically attached to nothing yet gave no slack. His limbs began to go numb and he was tired. So very tired. His experiment had taken a lot of energy. After Ra's took control again he felt his body (or mind?) go weak. As he stood there trying to recuperate, he was struck with a surge of pain so overpowering he was almost certain he was dying. He screamed so loud he thought his throat was going to explode. The green mist turned into flashes of white that blinded him when he could open his eyes. It lasted forever and then some.

"Aaaaaaaaaghk!" The pain shot through him like a hot metal poker skewering him from head to toe.

When it was over, he collapsed to his knees. His breath was loud and ragged in his ears. A small dark thought popped within his mind. To just let go. No more pain, no more isolation, and no more identity. He could slip away like wisp of a dream and be forgotten just as quickly. He was already missing pieces of himself, what would it matter for the rest of him?

He groaned and bit down on his lip.

"Stop it! Don't think like that. That's not you, it's just the wind." He heard a quiet voice reply. Then he heard footsteps. At first he thought Ra's was coming to taunt him again. Richard wasn't ready for another battle. He could barely lift his head. As the footsteps got closer, he realized they sounded too soft to be Ra's al Ghul's. He didn't have to raise his head much to see the small red shoes stop before him.  They weren't really shoes per se but special slipper like footwear acrobats used during acts like standing on others or tightrope walking and such. Soft enough to flex and bend with your foot but had grip and padding for protection and safety. Richard shuddered with pain as he lifted his gaze past the white stocking legs to the red, gold, and green leotard suit that belonged to a blue eyed boy no older than ten. With a neck that wanted no more movement, he lifted his head so he could meet the boy face to face.

"Who are you?" The boy asked. It was more than a question. He could hear it in his voice.

"I am you." Richard returned.

The boy shook his head with a sad smile. "No, I'm nobody."

He began to back away. Richard tried to reach out to him, but the chains held him back. His struggles were pathetic but he didn't stop. "No! Please don't go! I'm you! I was you! Don't leave me!" He screamed out, his voice raspy and dull from earlier. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I forgot!" He felt the pin prick of tears behind his eyes as he watched in horror as the boy began to fade away as he reached the green curtain.

"No, I will not forget! I mustn't forget." He groaned. He sucked in a breath and cleared his mind. He focused on the words and believed them. "I'm not dead yet."

What thoughts he had about giving up were now burning up like fuel as he got back on his feet. As he started to rise, more chains appeared. He felt one clasp around his neck, keeping him from standing any higher. A heavier one wrapped around his waist preventing him from sitting back down. Again they were anchored to nothing yet they would not budge.

He heard him sigh before he saw him. "I should say I'm surprised you're still kicking around in here but you were always a pest. And like pests, sometimes it takes a few tries to completely exterminate them."

The awkward stance he was imprisoned in kept Richard from seeing the tall man's face, not that he cared to see it. He already knew he would see that arrogant grin he always hated.

"Yeah, well why don't we invite Pest control in here and we could have a real party. Fumes and fire galore. We could see which one of us can suck in the most poison and see who's left standing." Richard tried to let out a small chuckle but got nothing but a wheeze. Ra's scoffed.

"Hmph, you sound a bit fatigued. So much energy wasted with that little trick of yours and all for nothing. They all believe you are gone now. You might as well give up boy. You are too weak to stop me and after I take the village, I will have Dr. Moon proceed with the transfer so that the next phase can move forward."

Richard knew he was trying to psych him out and shook his head. "You really think I'm just going to let you have my body without a fight?"

"It is futile to resist. Look at what you have achieved. Nothing! Nothing but pain and emptiness." Ra's encircled him as he spoke. "No way to reach your loved ones. No life line to the outside world. You may still be here, but what made you who you are has been destroyed. I will rebuild it with my memories and my thoughts." He leaned in close to his ear. "And even if for some sadistic and desperate reason, clinging to what you could call life in this void, you decide to reside here, you will be my prisoner forever."

Richard jerked his head away as much as he could, pinching the skin on his neck in doing so. He could hear the amusement in Ra's voice. "And to be honest, I would not mind that at all. To think, having the great detective's protege along side me as I dominate this world. Just as you helped and offered your service and advice to him, now you will do for me. You may as well since you really have no choice in the matter. Nor will I have to worry about you jumping in to stop me." Ra's crossed his arms in front of him. " All you will do is watch. Watch and cry and beg. I would love to hear you beg, my boy. On your knees, head bowed like the servants your family descended from."

"Fuck you, Ra's!"

Ra's cruel laugh brought Richard's blood to a boil."I'm not your boy! I will never work for you or help you in any way!" Richard barked back. His voice came back to him clear enough to make his next declaration. "And I will not beg you for anything, you hear me?" Richard strained his neck upwards to say this to his face. "I would rather burn in hell than bow to you."

Ra's grinned. "But I do believe you are bowing to me now. These chains have you looking quite humble in my presence. I believe I shall keep you this way." He placed a hand upon his head and stroked his hair almost lovingly, then clenching in a slow, tight fist. 

"But you can burn in hell as well."

Ra's stepped back and snapped his fingers. Fire erupted out of the air and Richard screamed as he was engulfed in flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am really putting Dick through hell right now but don't worry. He's not going to let Ra's win the war. Damian and Talia have got a few tricks up their sleeves as well. So until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 

Damian chewed on his lip as he stared out in the darkness. He could make out the coastline of their destination although it was still a few hours away. They had set off as the sun had begun to set and would reach Orkavia in the dead of night. Mother was off beneath the deck slipping quietly around the cages below and throughout the armory. She said she had a few tricks that would help slow things down for the trip back. That left Damian with his grandfather. He wanted to keep him distracted and he make sure if Grayson came around he could be there for him.

The ships cut through the waves silently. The motors that ran them barely hummed above the currents. Part of their excellent stealth technology. He ran over the recon photos of the target area in his head. It was a small fishing village with no more than eighty people. it did however, have a military port the League were going to have to infiltrate first and take over. It would be quick and simple, without any outgoing call to be sent to alarm the country. Then they would surround the village, subdue the men, separate the children from their mothers...

Damian clenched his jaw. He couldn't believe only a few years ago he would have been okay with a mission like this. He had truly looked up to his grandfather and believed in his vision of complete unity under one ruler. It wasn't until his father had shown him what the out cost of his vision would mean for people who met with Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Shadows. It opened his eyes to the false peace and unity Ra's would truly bring. Grandfather had no intention of helping others. It was all for himself in the long run. Power was his eternal wish, his great love. And ultimate power came from lineage; keeping it in the family, which has been done for centuries with other dictators and monarchies. The only difference Ra's would bring to it was simply this; he would live forever through various bodies. Damian hadn't forgotten he almost took his at one point. It was probably his intention from the very beginning. 

Damian glanced up at the young man beside him. Another strange smile had emerged. He looked to be concentrating on some internal thought. He hoped he was talking to Grayson. That would mean he was still within. He would have to tell mother, who had given up on the chance of help on the inside. They could sure use his help for this mission. So much could go wrong despite he and his mother's best efforts. The mission was to capture and take hostages, but if any of them resisted, or try to run for help, there would be death. Ra's had told his men he would lead the charge. That meant there was a strong chance he would use lethal force. Would Richard be able to stop him? If not, would he be aware of the atrocities he would unwillingly take part in due to Ra's control? Would he hear the cries of babies and screams of women? Damian jolted slightly with an idea. Could he hear? He never thought to check!

"Ahem, grandfather?" Damian ventured.

Ra's eyelids fluttered slightly as he brought his attention to the boy. "Yes, my boy?"

"When we get to Orkavia, the objective is to take everyone alive, correct?"

The handsome face twisted into a displeased frown. "We will do what is necessary when the time comes. You've gotten soft with your hero days in Gotham."

"I understand, but we need to have as many subjects as possible if we are going to test the limits of your power. Besides if we leave evidence of a **massacre** **at** **the** **village** ," he said putting emphasis on the words he wanted to relay."then we risk having the army notice **women** **and children** missing along with the **dead** men. It would be a mess. It just seems like we would be causing quite a scene."

Damian waited patiently as Ra's seemed to contemplate his words. But it turned out to be an act as he looked down at Damian with a look of condescension and a belittling head pat followed. "Oh my child, you underestimate the attention span of today's modern man. We may cause a ripple of fear to run through  the heart of this country, but this corrupt government couldn't care less. It's ruler is too busy gorging on decadent food while his people starve."

"News of it will reach other countries." Damian countered.

"Perhaps, but they will be too busy with their day-to-day self absorbed lives to care that a third world country is being seized by a terrorist organization. They will post about it, that "something should be done for them!" The leaders of the world will cry," Ra's threw his hands up to the sky, "These kinds of acts will not be tolerated! Thoughts and prayers will be spoken." He looked back down at Damian and grinned. " but nothing will be done about it. They simply won't see it as their problem; not their issue to spend vast amounts of precious money and man power on. Not until it's too late."

Damian tasted a bitter tang in the back of his throat and swallowed it back. "I see. But what about the Justice League or some meta in the area comes snooping about? What if they see it as a problem?"

Ra's shook his head. "By the time anything can be done, the people will have been returned, blame will be placed on the local criminals and they will be under my control. Then when things calm down a little, the people will help me take the next town over. It will just look like a civil war breaking out, nothing too unusual for this land. We will be the silent puppeteers, pulling the strings as quickly and efficiently as we can."

"And we can **assume** you will have **control** over all of them." Damian received an angry look and he quickly continued, "I don't mean to doubt you grandfather, but **Grayson** has not been very complacent within you. He has interrupted twice now. It appears Dr. Moon's serum has some flaws."

Ra's growled but said nothing, prompting Damian to push a little more. "Perhaps we should wait a little longer. Until we are certain **you** **are in** complete **control**."

"I am in control! Don't talk to me as if I am slow. I should strike you for your insolence!" He snapped back, causing some soldiers to cast a quick glance at the scene.

But he didn't. 

Damian now knew Ra's wasn't as confident about that declaration as he wanted to be. He watched with quiet satisfaction as Ra's gathered himself. "We no longer have to worry about Richard Grayson. He is in no position to take back what I have achieved."

"But he is still in there?" Damian asked as cautiously as he could.

Ra's gave a soft chuckle. "I was thinking of keeping him as a prisoner. Just barely alive and thinking to be witness to all the great accomplishments we will make. He can't stop us."

So he hadn't killed him with that last dose. Damian felt a little better about the situation, although not by much. Now he just hoped he was able to hear the message and do something about it. Who knew what condition Richard was in after that last dose.

"Don't worry, " Damian looked as deep as he could into those blue eyes. "I believe in you."

 

~

 

He really needed to control himself in situations like these. Richard groaned as he opened his eyes to survey the damage. He could already smell burnt hair and gagged a little when the sickly scent of cooked meat filled his nostrils.

"No you do not smell delicious. " He croaked. 

He had no shirt and his chest was blackened and blistered. His jeans had survived for the most part and that meant so did his legs. He was glad he couldn't see his face or what was left of it. The chains that held him were still hot and smoking. Richard was surprised he was still alive after such a firestorm, but it must have been more of a flash fire than slow burn. Then he remembered Ra's was hoping to keep him as a prisoner and he cursed softly to himself. If that was the case, this would be the first of many burns.

"Boy mister, you sure are in a pickle." A young voice interrupted his morbid thoughts.

Richard didn't have to look up to know who said it because he could see the teen's face perfectly, even though it was upside down. The boy was doing a handstand while grinning back at him. Richard gave a small chuckle through cracked lips.

"Aw, I've been in worse." Richard could see a yellow cape billowing around his youthful face. He knew this confident kid. This untouchable, fearless kid.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to have a lock pick in those panties of yours, would you?"

The teen hopped right side up. "They're not panties! They are part of my suit-"

"Yeah I know, I'm just yanking your chain. Get it?" Richard tugged on his restraints a little to make them rattle. 

The teen laughed. "That's a good one."

"Of course it is." Richard muttered. "So?"

The colorfully costumed kid shook his head. "Sorry. I carry nothing with me but the sins of my past."

"What past? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Richard snapped angrily. "You're barely-what, thirteen at most? You've barely lived! I know I've done things! For the life of me I can't think of what they are right now but I'm a grown man. You're just a kid! You were just a kid. You  shouldn't have to carry such a heavy burden on your shoulders. I shouldn't have..." He trails off. He knows it's useless to argue with a ghost. The teen shrugs. "It comes with the job. Now I gotta go."

The job. Richard vaguely remembers he had a job like the boy, but he had denied its existence. The man he was before he became trapped had tried to bury it or something. Something happened to cause Richard to forget so much of it.  Richard squeezed his eyes shut with frustration.

"Don't do this! Don't leave me here like this. Ra's will kill us if I don't get free!"

"Shh! Listen!" The teen knelt in front of him and put a gloved hand over his mouth. "Do you hear it?"

Richard focused but for a moment heard nothing but strange sighs and whispers. Then a muffled voice that sounded far away.

"Massacre at....Port....Women and Children....Dead...."

"What?" Richard mumbled and the hand clamped down tighter. 

"Assume...Control.....Grayson...You are...In...Control...."

The boy let go. "Wow, talk about a signal in the sky mister." He began applying his green mask.

"There are people out there that need my help" Richard tried to lift his head to see beyond the boy and noticed the color of the mist  had dulled and the spots of black had grown wide, ebbing and weaving through the dark green color.

"Gee wiz, I sure hope you get out of here for your sake, and the others." The teen got up and began to walk into the darkness. "I'll hold them off as long as I can."

"Hold who off? Who's coming?" Richard called out.

As if to answer, a wild familiar cackle echoed out from the void that made his blood run cold. Dark whispers followed after, speaking so low Richard couldn't understand the words but understood their intent.

They were coming for him.

"No, I can't believe this is happening." Richard muttered to himself. Not only did he have Ra's to deal with but now...

"Sins of my past, huh?"

 

~

 

Talia finished her tasks within the last ship. She had worked her way silently from each one, compromising the cages and sabotaging as many weapons as she could. She knew after this they would know it was she that would be the traitor, but she hoped it would give Damian enough time to get through to Richard. 

She sighed.

The things she does for her child. She really didn't believe the young man was alive at first but Damian insisted he was still inside. And if Damian believed it, so would she. What else could she do? She knew better than to think her father would completely trust her and Damian. They had love for Damian's father, her beloved. Damian loved Richard as a brother and a guardian. Father would take that into consideration and come to the conclusion they would have to be controlled as well. She knew how her father's mind worked. And no matter how much she loved her father, the maniacal man that he was, she would be damned if she wasn't going to be able to live her own life. She had worked long and hard to become the strong leader that she was. Her heart was not in world domination but to be more of a beacon of inspiration to the world. To show that prosperity and happiness could coincide with a clean world. It may take some extreme measures, but not enough to kill and enslave all of humankind. She was realistic in her ideals, at least she thought she was. 

And if her father thought he could take her child away from her, he had another thing coming. To destroy the beautiful person he had become would not be allowed. At first she had seen so much of her father in him. To be honest it had saddened her. A small part of her had wanted to know what kind of man he would grow up to be. But it became apparent he was being shaped to fit father's image. So she had sent him away to be with his father. She would not be able to see him grow in person, but at least she could dream of him being something like his father, a man she loved so much it hurt. He would experience life and see the world through his own eyes without so much manipulation. Her beloved would help cast out the demon's influence and lead him to be strong minded and true to himself. 

She never saw Richard coming.

She never even imagined her child latching onto someone he had no connection to biologically. What did he see in this ordinary man? She guessed 'ordinary' wasn't quite the right word to use to describe the first protege of her beloved, but she couldn't see what was so special about him. He was not as strong as Damian's father, nor as intelligent. Damian would tell her about 'another one of Richard's idiotic schemes' that would result in a mission going sideways and yet come out a success in the end. 

"Thanks to me." Damian would tell her but his tone would not be of annoyance but with pride. He sounded happy. He was happy with Richard. 

She couldn't boil it down to age as he was much older than him. He wasn't a peer. He was something of a mentor, but Damian had learned everything about war and fighting here with her. And Bruce would have shown him his teachings of being a hero. What could he possibly have been teaching him? 

"The best way to enjoy the accomplishments of a successful patrol is with the sounds of 80's nostalgia." He had told her. Whatever did that mean?

"I do not partake in the vocals but I do like the strange maneuvers and dancing it brings about."

Did Richard teach him that? Did Damian dance? What would that look like? Oh she wished she could see it. 

A stronger wave slapped against the hull and snapped her out of her thoughts. If she didn't do everything she could to stop her father, she never would.

"Oh my beloved, I do hope your instincts in Richard were correct. We need him desperately." she whispered to the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hoping to get this out sooner, but an injury took me out. That sucked being that I am on vacation for a week and really wanted to get a few chapters up. I'll see what I can crank out since I am feeling better. I hope you are all staying tuned to this station.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siege of the little village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, not a lot of dialogue but quite a bit of action.

Chapter 9

 

The first objective was to make dock just a few yards away from the military outpost. They made it upon land just as the sun set. Ra's signaled for his team to gather to him and ready for the attack. As they began to march, Damian kept right beside him. He saw his mother on the last ship preparing her team to follow behind the other two. She threw a quick nod his way and walked down the plank to the sand. She had told Damian she would do her best to  limit the spill of blood and he hoped it would be enough. His group slowed down and they came around the bend. Ra's and Damian both peered around to locate their first targets; the outer perimeter patrol. 

They laid the last soldier down on the ground as a ninja came up and began tying his wrists and ankles. Damian let out a slow breath. No fatalities. Grandfather had played it safe. He must truly believe the threat of being overtaken again was real enough. He even went as far as not participating in the take down. 

"Let us not waste any time. We have much to do." Richard's voice spoke Ra's commands and Damian felt conflicted in following it.

It was a short walk through the desert terrain but they soon came upon the small fishing village. All seemed peaceful and almost picturesque, if it weren't for the shadows of men creeping in to surround the perimeter. Talia disappeared into the night and would wait until all teams were in position before infiltrating the homes of the villagers.

Damian looked down at his sword and placed his hand on the hilt with disdain. The sword was a gift to him form his grandfather. It was given in a ceremony celebrating his first successful mission as a League member. It had belonged to Ra's father and his father before him. It had seen many battles and blood had flowed from its base to the tip of the edged blade. It had severed the heads of once powerful rulers that had knelt in defeat before the Al Ghuls. To this day this blade had never suffered any breaks, chips, nor dulling. Damian had never been more proud and honored to receive such a relic. He still used it as Robin, but it barely bathed in blood these days. Now at the very moment it felt like dead weight around his waist. It felt heavier than normal in his hands as he removed it silently from its sheath. He would not use it as intended tonight but rather use the blunt end of it to knock the targets unconscious if he had to. 

Targets?

No, villagers.

People.

Parents.

Families.

Damian shook himself out of the morbid train of thought and scolded himself. _Fool! This is no time to lose sight of the objective. My objective. Get through this with no casualties and prevent grandfather from making a murderer out of Grayson._

 It was a long shot. He would not be able to control the situation with the other two teams. At least his mother would take care with her team. But the other was led by Ubu. He would do anything and everything his master demanded. The odds of leaving this place free of death were slim. They headed for a deep ditch along the outside of the village. Perhaps at one time it held water during the monsoon season but tonight it keep Damian's group secret. As they waited to hear from the others, Damian watched as a man either half asleep or drunk wobble haphazardly out of one of the small clay huts and stagger towards their hideout. He crouched back down and pressed himself against the side facing the sea. He heard the shuffle of feet stop only inches away from his face. Then a spray followed by a steady stream of urine came pouring down over them, barely missing the two but forming a puddle at their feet. Damian glanced up to see the man's eyes were closed as he swayed back and forth as if any moment he would topple over either way. By the smell Damian could tell he was drunk. He looked over to Ra's and saw anger in his eyes. He watched in horror as he grabbed his saber, ready to strike the man. In a flash of a moment, Damian leaped up and with the handle of his sword, struck the older man against the temple. He collapsed forward into the ditch with them and Damian made quick work of tying him up. He could feel the glare being aimed at him but refused to look up. He sniffed.

Now they all reeked of piss. Instead of being angry, Damian felt a strange tinge of deja vu. He remembered the time he and Richard were trying to apprehend a criminal and tracked them into the sewers. They had come up empty handed and stinking to high heaven. As angry as he was at the time, he was still proud to be a Robin to Richard's Batman. 

Two sharp clicks echoed out of the dark signaling everyone was in position. Ra's nodded to his team to leave their hiding spots. Damian went into soldier mode recalling the mission. The huts and homes in the village were arranged in a circular pattern. The three teams would start on the East, West, and North sides. The South was block by a large rocky mass so no one could escape that way. They would take each home down following a clock-wise direction, subduing and capturing as many villagers as they could. Any proving to be too difficult or time consuming would be eliminated. Children would be used as leverage to get parents to cooperate. Should any villager sound the alarm of the attack or escape, then the next phase would begin. To make it look like an attack from the neighboring country, Symana.

Damian hoped it wouldn't come to that, but his priority was Richard. Then he thought of Richard's plea to keep the villagers safe and gritted his teeth. He was torn. He didn't want to let Richard down and lose villagers but if he didn't stay by Ra's side, he would have to see the sight of his older brother killing an innocent person. Even if it was his grandfather's doing, it would be horrifying. He was torn.

They came upon the first home and entered. Damian stepped in first and surveyed the scene. A couple were laying in bed, oblivious to what was about to happen. He slipped over to them, pulled out his dart pins, and stuck one in each neck. After waiting a few moment to let the toxin take effect, he nodded to two ninjas who began tying them up. They were to be left there until the mission was complete. They moved on to the next house. Ten minutes in, the screaming began. Damian clicked his teeth and pulled out his blade. He wasn't sure which team messed up, but he put his odds on Ubu. The man could get impatient at times. With the element of surprise out, Ra's kicked in the next door and was met with a man slightly larger than himself. That had never stopped Grayson in the past and it wasn't going to stop Ra's either.

The man was armed with a machete and took a swing at Ra's; he dodged it effortlessly. A woman screamed from the back of the room and Damian noticed she was clutching a small girl tightly to her chest. The little girl watched with fright as her father did battle with Damian's grandfather. Damian was ready to step in if things got bad, but he heard another cry from outside and he knew he should be out there trying to keep things from escalating. Just as he began to make for the door, the father swiped again exposing his left side where Ra's buried a dagger. The man cried out and his wife screamed covering her daughter's eyes. Damian watched as familiar martial arts maneuvers took the man down and knocked him unconscious. Suddenly the noise outside faded out of Damian's focus as he stared at the sight before him

Grayson standing over the prone figure with his saber raised high above him.

"Grandfather no!" Damian cried out. Ra's eye lifted up to his for a moment, then back down at his victim. 

"He's down, there is no need to kill him. Remember we need strong subjects for the tests."

"There will be plenty of subjects to test, my boy. This one will not be missed."

"Grandfather you are needed-" Damian started but was cut off with a vicious reply.

"Don't get in my way, Damian. This is for you."

Damian eyes widened."What?"

"Don't think I don't know what you've been up to. You are trying to keep your precious circus brat from being tainted with blood. Well there nothing you can do to stop it. He will no longer be some righteous, justice seeking vigilante. He. Is. Me." Ra's grinned. "And I will prove to you there is no more Richard Grayson living in this body."

He brought the blade down.

It connected with a clang against the old blade. Damian stared up from his kneeling point into the eyes of a madman.

"I knew it! I knew you would betray me! You have gone soft boy, and he is the one responsible for it. Well I will remedy that!"

Damian received a kick to the chest that sent him flying back into the wall behind him. What followed was a heavy chest that he barely had time to brace for. He stuck his sword out and it caught most of the impact. Still it knocked the air out of his lungs and the blade was stuck in the metal lining of it. He could still here the woman calling out to her husband on the floor and the mayhem from outside.

"Grandfather, please." He choked out.

"An Al Ghul never begs." Once again he raised his saber over the unconscious man. "You disappoint me."

The blade came down towards the man's neck.

"Richard!" Damian screamed, his hand reaching out.

 

~

 

Richard wasn't sure of much of his past, but he knew there were dark things that lurked within it. He had had dreams as he slept next to his beautiful woman that caused him to cry out and shiver with fear and pain. He could never fall back asleep after that. He was sure beyond a doubt that he was going to come face to face with it. His younger self had said something about holding them off, but at what cost? Would he lose that part of his life? He couldn't remember anything before that time so it must be fading away. He was fading away.

"This can't be happening!" He growled, still unable to move. The ache in his muscles was reaching unbearable amounts but there was nothing he could do short of choking to death. Then there was the message from beyond the green. The attack on the village. People were counting on him to put a stop to the violence. He had to get control again, but he was so tired. The pain and fatigue were starting to overwhelm him. 

"Please," he heard his muffled voice beg out into the darkness. "Someone help me." He looked out, searching the void. Another cackle rang out from behind him. It was closer.

"I know someone's here. I'm still here. There must be some part of me that still remains." He wouldn't for much longer. "Anybody?"

"Who are you?" The question came from a voice firm and clear. It sounded just like his, no longer sprinkled with youth. He looked ahead and saw a young man just within view, kneeling on one knee staring down at the cowl in his hands. The black cape billowed and cascaded around him.

Again with the same question.

"I don't know! Apparently I'm nobody or somebody but not you! I don't know how to answer that. All I know is I need you to help me get out of here." Richard yelled back.

The man took no notice of his anger and sighed. "I never wanted to be him you know. I didn't want this."

Richard clenched his eye shut and spoke with surprising calm. "I know. There was no choice. It had to be you. It was what you promised him."

"You made the promise too."

"I did? Yes, you're right. I did. And we kept that promise. We became what we had to be, despite our feelings about it. And over time we made it our own. We found a way to cope and...we didn't do it alone."

The young mad stood up and smiled sadly. "Robin."

A wave of memories flashed through Richard's mind, however, they were fragmented and incomplete. He couldn't get a complete memory back enough to explain who that was, but he knew they were important.

"Speaking of alone, there is someone out there beyond this place that needs my help. Actually many people need me to stop this man that is trying to take me over."

"I thought you didn't do that anymore." He placed the black mask over his head. His eyes became menacing slivers of white.

Richard let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't! I mean I do but I don't want to-Look, I don't know who I am right now! All of you have been asking me the same damn question over and over and I can't give you the answer you re looking for. All I do know is that I haven't got much time left. I need your help breaking me out of these chains. That's all. If you could just get one of my arms free that would be enough. I know you have that ability."

The man shook his head. "I've got a patrol to start."

"Goddammit! Why won't any of you help me?" Richard screamed. "All you do is ask me who I am and it's never good enough for you! I am never good enough for you!"

Richard feels he's spoken those words before.

"It's not about being good enough for me. It's about what you can live with about yourself. Sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad." The cape rippled out as stepped back. "I cannot set you free. All I can do is buy you time. The longer you take, the more you lose."

"What good is time when I don't know what else to do?" His voice cracked with desperation.

"Who are you?"

"I don't know." Richard said with defeat.

"Who do you know?"

Richard looked up, surprised by the new question. As he did, the man spread his arms wide, flicking away the cape that had been concealing the crest upon his chest. Richard's eyes widened with clarity. "I know that symbol."

"Then remember what it means. I hope we see each other again." With the snap of his cape he flew off into the blackness that now overpowered the green. 

Before Richard could recall the name, he heard the cry louder than anything before.

"Richard!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all falls into place.

Chapter 10

 

Talia led her team of ninjas to the north side of the village. Before splitting off from the third group, she caught a strange smile from Ubu that did not sit well with her. She stored it in the back of her mind and continued to her final position. She thought about her son's insistence that Richard Grayson would soon emerge and stop these events from reaching fatal levels. He really put too much faith in the man, she thought. 

They reached their breaching point and she took a moment to meditate. Once she went over her future actions in her head, she took a deep breath and pulled out a small clicker to sound her readiness to the other teams. A second later, Ubu sounded his position. The mission was a go.

She moved like a shadow into the first house and took out four people and three children without a hitch. The needles on the darts were so thin, none of her targets awoke from their slumber. Another three buildings including the market square came and went without a problem. So the scream in the night came as a surprise, followed by the group of men that came running out of the local drinking spot. She swore under her breath and took out her bo staff. Talia saw out of the corner of her eye one of her men take aim with a bow and arrow. He pulled the string back as far as he could when the string snapped and the arrow flipped up in the air. It landed pathetically at his feet. Talia leapt forward and quickly knocked each man out. More screams erupted from within the village and she ran to them.

With no shock, she saw Ubu dragging a little girl by her hair demanding the parents to kneel with their hands behind their backs. Another man lay nearby bleeding profusely. He did not look to be alive. Talia came up behind him and whacked him in the knee. He let go of the girl and grabbed the injured joint. The girl ran back to her parents who were huddled on the ground.

"How dare-" Ubu began but Talia didn't let him finish. "Silence dog! You are responsible for this! You ruined our cover on purpose, didn't you?"

Ubu grinned. "The job will still be done, my lady. There is no reason to need silence. They fall without much fight."

"We will lose subjects for the test if you kill them. It is best to take them unaware." Talia countered.

"Then we will weed out the problem subjects."

A shout interrupted their quarrel as an armed old man raised a gun towards them. Another ninja reached into his belt to retrieve a shuriken only to pull out a large metal washer roughly the same weight and size. He stood in confusion as Talia pulled out her bow and arrow and shot the gun out of the old man's hand. The ninjas took him down and tied him up as Talia returned her focus back to Ubu. "That is not the mission! We are to take back as many subjects as possible, alive!"

Talia turned to leave but Ubu grabbed her arm and spun her around. "You are not loyal to the master. If you were, this would not be an issue. You and the boy are up to something, I know it."

Talia's eyes glowed with anger. "I am here, aren't I? I am doing my father's bidding."

Ubu went to strike a fleeing woman with his blade but Talia struck his wrist. He yelped and dropped the sword. She stepped on it to as he attempted to snatch it back up. He looked up at her with malice. "I think you are here for your own reasons."

Talia tried to keep her feelings hidden and steeled her face. "You are the one ruining this operation. Sabotaging Ra's al Ghul's mission with unnecessary violence and blood. When I tell him you were trying to kill his experimental subjects, think what he would do."

Ubu's smile was vicious. "He told me to kill some of them."

Talia was taken off guard by that statement and Ubu struck her back. She recovered quickly. "What are talking about?"

"He wanted to see what the boy would do."

Oh no.

"He had his doubts about you as well. He knew if he found Damian to be untrustworthy, that you would choose to protect him. But you are also a traitor." Ubu took a step closer and Talia held up her staff in defense.

"Betraying father? How?"

"You have sabotaged the weapons. Broken blades, splintered spears, and bows that snap. All of my team's weapons have been tampered with, by you." He made a grab for the blade again, but she kicked it away. "The boy's betrayal will soon be revealed as well."

"What test will he give Damian?" Talia asked, secretly knowing the answer in her heart.

"He must watch as Master slays an innocent."

Talia knew Damian would never let that happen. The jig was up. Talia frowned. "My love for my father will never die, but I cannot allow for this to happen. Apologies Ubu."

The tip of her bo staff facing Ubu popped open, shooting a sleeping dart at his neck. Ubu grabbed it to pull it out quickly, but the toxin had entered his system. The big man fell over unconscious and Talia made her way to her father's position.

She ran through the chaos and spotted her father's cape from within one of the small shack houses. He was hovering over one of the villagers with his sword held high. He was about to bring it down on the injured man. Talia heard her son cry out Richard's name and in a last second decision she whispered.

"He's not coming back." Talia pulled out her bow to let an arrow fly. She shot it straight at Grayson's chest. 

He moved like lightning. Talia had barely realized he caught the arrow as he locked eyes with her. He smirked back. 

He won.

There was nothing more Talia or Damian could do.

She heard the sounds of weapons being pulled out and knew the ninjas surrounded her. She still kept her eyes on the unfamiliar blue ones coming closer to her. He still held the arrow. He still held his sword. She felt her hands being tied behind her back. Most of the screams throughout the village had subsided into weeping and groans. She couldn't bring herself to look away from him. She had been at odds with this man before and had gone against her father's wishes too, but there was something far crueler now that they were one in the same. 

He stopped right in front of her. She held her head high. 

"My dear daughter."

"I am not your daughter!" Talia spit back. "Do not call me that while you wear that face."

He laughed. "Maybe you're right, but this is who I am now. It will be made final once we return home and my brain is transferred into this vessel. You should have accepted this from the beginning. Both of you should have."

She heard Damian's struggles as he too was tied up.

"I know it is hard for Damian to let go of the man that charmed him into the life of a vigilante, but it was up to you to talk some sense into him. For you to go along with his betrayal was foolish and futile." He reached up and stroked her cheek. "Now I will have to take over both of you."

Talia's eyes grew wide with shock. "No! You can't do this. Not to Damian. What has become of you?"

"Perhaps you never knew me." Ra's spoke as he grabbed a strand of her hair. "Maybe it's better that way. It will give us something to work on now that we will be closer than ever."

He looked to his men. "Take them both and secure them well below deck. We make our way back to base with our bounty."

 

~

 

Talia and Damian were locked in adjacent cages on the main ship. They watched helplessly as the villagers were piled in four at a time into the small wooden confinements. Ubu pushed the last one in and shot a victorious look at Talia. She spit at him as he walked by. Ubu laughed and wiped it away as he climbed back up to the deck. The door slammed shut.

"Don't worry mother, Richard-"

"He's gone Damian!" Talia blurted out. Damian stared back, hurt. She looked away in shame. "I am sorry my love, but he is gone. I looked into those eyes and saw no trace of familiarity. Truth be told, I'm not sure I see your grandfather either. There is something dark within that body I cannot-"

"You're wrong!" Damian shouted back. She turned to see his eyes watering up. "Richard is light, and he is good and strong. You'll see, he is still in there and he will save us. The darkness you see is grandfather's true potential. You have been blind to this for years mother. You just don't want to admit that you had played a part in his vile plans."

Talia sat up straight. "That is not true! I know I have done things that I am not proud of, but I still believe this world needs to change and it will take drastic measures to do so. Maybe you should admit that your circus friend is not all that he appears to be. He could not fight back against a small portion of Ra's al Ghul in his mind. I hear he was to be used for wealthy and elite criminals of Gotham City before your father took him in. Damian, maybe you should rethink your relationship with him and see that you held him in a light that blinded you from _his_ true potential."

She knew Damian didn't want to hear this but she had to shatter any false hopes if they were to get out of this. "Perhaps father awoke something inside him that has embraced the darkness within. Whatever was left of the man you knew after he was shot, it has died."

Damian sniffled. "No, no, no! You're wrong! You just don't know Richard. He's not dead, he wouldn't give up without a fight."

"I'm not saying he didn't fight. He just wasn't strong enough."

"No!"

"Damian-"

"Stop it! Stop talking like you want me to give up." Damian argued back. "You never liked him! You want to believe he's gone. You never thought of him as someone who meant something to me. That is why you have a hard time believing he will be the one to help us. He has a strength inside of him that is stronger than any lineage. By the way, he's not just some man, he's my brother."

Talia sighed. "He may be a brother-in-arms but-"

"No, I mean he's my brother. And not you or anybody is going to tell me otherwise." Damian broke out of his bonds and crossed his arms over his chest. "I know him better than anyone, certainly better than you. I know he's still in there and he will save us. We just need to give him a little time to gather his strength. You'll see," Damian curled up in the corner closest to Talia, "he'll be back. He's my brother and he's coming for me."

Talia decided to let him have his way. She untied her hands and sat back against the bars. "Well, if he's coming he better hurry up. By the time he comes back, we may be the ones lost to father's mind."

 

~

 

He struggled to remember the symbol that adorned the black chest plate of his former self. He tried to picture the figure it truly belonged to. He was losing himself even more. The fragments of memories were breaking into smaller pieces, making them indecipherable.

"Please, I need your help." He groaned. "I know you can hear me."

The blackness was suffocating. Or maybe it was the heavy metal collar that tore at the tender skin beneath it. He lost all sight of the green veil after he heard the name ring out. What was it again? It used to be his name, or part of it. He was going fast.

The screams and laughter behind him had also grown. They sounded like they were only few meters away. There was nothing he could do about them. But there was still time. He wasn't sure why but he knew he had enough time to call out for one last life line.

"I need you. You're the only one I can remember now."

He couldn't understand why the man stood out to him. There was something basic and primal about him that despite all that was lost to him, he could still make out images in his mind. A grim mouth. White unblinking eyes. Sharp nose. Looming, towering stance. Wings? No wings. Cape. 

Symbol.

"Help me."

"Who are you?" Came the gravelly reply.

He gasped and silently screamed with joy. "I'm me. I can't remember more than that. Please," He tried to bring all his focus to the outline in front of him. It was hard to see without light, but somehow the silhouette seemed darker than the room. "I need to get out of here. I'm trapped here and I..think I'm dying."

The figure became solid and stepped forward. He couldn't see his face so he focused on the black and yellow symbol. A bat? Yes, The Bat Man.

"You are dying. There's not much time."

"Can you help me?" He asked.

"I can only do what you created me for." The Bat Man replied. 

"I don't understand."

"There's no time to explain. Who are you?" 

He wasn't sure why but he was frustrated with the question. "Why is that important?"

"Because who you are will determine if you get out of here." The Bat Man circled him. "You need to understand who you are and what you can do."

"I don't know who I am! And I can't do anything!" He cried out exasperated.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why can't you do anything?"

"Are you blind?" Well, he is a Bat. "I'm trapped with these chains."

"I see chains, but I also see something else. Don't you see it too?" The Bat stopped in front of him again.

He shook his head. "I don't understand."

"Where are you?"

He thought about it long and hard. "I...don't know."

"How did you get here?"

He thought for a moment. "I was put here by a man. An evil man."

"How did he get here? Did he carry you here? Did he drive you here? How did you get to this place?"

"I don't know. I thought I just appeared here."

"You made me appear too. Can you make a place appear? A particular place that still lingers in your mind."

"Like what?" He asked.

"How about where you would usually find me?" The Bat stepped back and held out his arms. "A big dark place not too different from this. It shouldn't be too difficult to change that."

He closed his eyes and tried to picture where he would see The Bat Man. It was large, cool, and dark. Rock walls. Steps leading down to it. A large screen. Several in fact. Weapons. Mats and strange bars. A dinosaur?

He opened his eyes and saw exactly what had come to mind. It was very familiar and The Bat Man looked pleased. "That's it, very good."

"Where am I?" 

"Exactly where you were a few seconds ago."

"Huh?"

"Keep with me. You made this place appear, like you made me appear. Do you know why?" The Bat Man asked.

"Because you told me to." He said, unsure of his answer. The Bat Man shook his head.

"Because you told yourself to. Remember, I am not really here. You made me appear. These are the last remaining fragments of your memories of me."

"My memories."

"Yes. Now I'm going to ask you again. Where are you?"

His memories. "I'm in my mind?"

The Bat Man smiled. "Very good. If you are in your mind, what can you do?"

He struggled with the answer. "I can make things appear?"

"If you can make things appear, what is keeping you from making things...disappear?" The Bat Man suggested.

My God, He thought.

He closed his eyes and imagined the chains falling to the ground and jumped when he heard the loud clang of loose chains hitting the rock floor. He opened his eyes and saw his arms and legs healed and free. He laughed. "I can't believe it! I thought I was trapped for good!"

"And that was the problem, you let yourself believe the illusion. The man that took you is trying to make you believe that you have no control, but he doesn't have complete control of you, at least not yet." The Bat Man placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now that you know the truth, he cannot deceive you again. Use that to your advantage."

He smiled back at The Bat Man. "I can't thank you enough."

The Bat Man frowned. "Don't thank me, you did this on your own. I only helped you the way you thought was best to set yourself free. Now you're not done yet. There is one more thing we have to do."

His smile faded. "What is that?"

"Who are you?"

He once again closed his eyes and tried to recall what fragments he had and piece them together bit by bit. 

A voice.

"Richard!"

A hand reaching out to catch him.

"Got you, my little Robin."

A swirling face before him.

"Agent 37."

A uniform of blue.

"Officer Grayson."

A story from far away. 

"Flamebird and..."

He looked back at The Bat Man. "Nightwing. I am Nightwing."

Batman smiled, this time it was genuine. "Yes, and so much more."

Nightwing stood before Batman, dressed in his black and blue suit. "And I have a demon to stop."

Batman nodded. "I think you've got this now."

Dick felt his memories start to fall into place. "Thank you, Batman. I'll see you in the real world, soon."

The cave and the father figure disappeared. He was back in the green void. This time he was ready.

"Alright, Ra's al Ghul. It's time to take back control. Damian's counting on me."

He turned around to face the whispers and laughter of his past enemies. "Let's see how you handle my demons."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back with another long awaited chapter for this story. Sorry for taking so long with this but I wanted to finish my October piece before jumping back to this one. We are coming close to the final stretch with this one. I'm not sure how many chapters it will take, but it's almost done. Stay tuned!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to take back control.

Chapter 11

 

Damian knew it was pointless to put up a fight as they marched both he and his mother into the palace. They parted ways as he was directed upstairs to be sealed in his room and Talia was led down the spiral staircase to the dark laboratories below.The iron grip tightened as distance was put between them. He looked up at his Grandfather, who's face was twisted in disappointment and fury, directed at him. 

 "Have everything ready for my grandson's procedure as well. Let us not waste anymore time." Damian heard him say as the words echoed in the stairwell.

Damian was shoved into his room and the door slammed shut. The sound of the wooden bolt locked in place on the other side. Damian knew before he was born these rooms were prison cells, but it had never bothered him until now. He turned around and placed an ear to the door. The footsteps began to fade down the hall and around the corner to stand guard at the top of the stairs. He knew he had to work quickly if he was going to get his mother before it was too late. Maybe Richard would...

Damian shook his head. It wasn't logical to leave it up to chance. At least that's what he would tell himself when the split second memory of his mother's harsh words popped up in response to the unfinished thought. He ran over to his bed and shoved it away from the wall it laid against. He lifted the thin mattress and pulled out a thin rail about a foot long and half an inch thick. The tip was sharp and filed to a slant. He moved over to the brick closest to the floor and jammed the rail in between the two blocks of cement and rock. He went to work wiggling and pulling at the block that years before he had carefully removed in order to sneak into the makeshift library next door. Damian felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek as he continued remove the stone. Once he got enough of it out of the wall, he pulled it completely free. 

Damian smirked. "Thank you for putting me in my room, morons."

It was a tight squeeze but he made it through to the other side. The library that no longer held any books was instead encased in dust and cobwebs, its curtains shut and slightly devoured by moths. A few webs made their way into Damian's hair as he crawled out from the corner. He looked around and headed for the door. He jiggled the knob and found it unlocked, but upon pushing the door realized it too had a bolt across it. He walked over to the curtains and yanked them open. A cloud of dust danced in the sunlight and Damian opened the large double door window. The scent of the sea came wafting in as he peeked his head out the window. He looked down and to the right. He saw his target. Several feet below him was the balcony where Grandfather made his speeches and oversaw training sessions. 

The smooth walls made it difficult to climb (on purpose) without the aid of tools. Damian had to get down another way. He couldn't simply slide down the wall because of the angle and he couldn't just leap due to the spacing being out of range. Damian looked around for another way but it was the only option. It was ideal as well, there was no door to lock and no guards posted there when Grandfather wasn't around. He had no choice. 

He closed his eyes and remembered a flip Richard had taught him for situations like these.

 

"I call it the Spider Flip." Dick grinned.

They both stood at the edge of a tall skyscraper. It was a clear, cloudless night in Gotham, which was rare. "Why do you have to give it a name? It's not like you're gonna shout it out as you-"

Damian stopped and frowned when he saw the trademark glint of mischief flicker in his big brother's eyes. He knew better than to think he would get a standard, no nonsense lesson from the beautiful man. Damian secretly loved when Grayson taught him things, but getting to the point of them took distracting and sometimes annoying turns. Still, he would never walk away from quality time with his favorite person.

"That's the trick of it. Speaking its name grants you the power to use it. Haven't you learned anything from Immortal Beatdown 6?" Dick suddenly strikes a flashy pose, imitating one of the characters he likes to play. "Typhoon fist!"

Damian rolls his eyes behind his mask but said nothing. Dick knew his brother only too well and chuckled. "Back to business then." 

Dick looks down and for a moment Damian watches with subtle wonder as the blue masked face becomes serene yet focused. "The trick is in the timing. It can get a little disorienting as well so stay aware of your position."

Damian waited patiently as Dick got into position. He turns around and stands with his heels off the ledge, supporting his weight on the balls of his feet. He spreads his arms out and turns to face Damian. With a grin he takes a step back off the edge. Damian's tummy twists slightly but watches intensely as Nightwing falls along the smooth brown wall, his hands up and shoulder width apart. With the grace of the arachnid mentioned, Dick's arms and long legs move quickly and with finesse. He pushes himself away from the wall enough to get his legs up and underneath him. For a lightning second its as if he's crouching on the wall. Next he flicks himself into a cartwheel that catapults him almost perpendicular to his downward trajectory. 

He lands on the thick metal flagpole protruding from the bland building, barely shaking it. His knees were bent and his feet positioned perfectly as if he were standing on a high wire. Once again his arms were out, this time for balance. After he stuck his landing, he looked up at Damian. He flashed a smile. 

"Wanna give it a try?"

 

Damian came back to the present and jumped up onto the window ledge. He got into position just like Richard had shown him and took a deep breath. He stepped of the ledge. He let himself fall a few feet before executing the dangerous maneuver. His foot slipped a little during the flip. Damian cursed as he felt his body not getting the momentum he needed to reach the balcony. He flung his arms out and barely came in contact with the balustrade. His chest hit the stone hard, but quickly put himself up and over. He took a few seconds to get his breath back before he set off into the dark mahogany hallways towards the stairs leading down towards his mother. 

 

~

 

Talia twisted in the grips of the guards but they kept a firm grip on her. Her father led the way into the operation room. Talia realized how much she hated the smell of the sterilization and medical fluids. She stared at the cold steel table, ready for her.

"I truly wish it didn't have to come to this, my beloved daughter." Ra's spoke up. His voice smooth like mist and honey. The words made her stomach turn.

"Don't call me that!" She snapped. "I can't stand it with you looking like that."

Dr. Moon was trying not to be conspicuous, busying himself with the tray holding the tools and the syringe needed for the transfer. Ra's frowned and reached for her. She tried to jerk her head away from his touch but the guards pushed her forward. He took a strand of her hair in his hand.

"Like this? Younger than you?" He chuckled and walked around the table to the other side as the guards pushed Talia onto it. "I think it's poetic in a way. You've always disliked Richard for taking Damian under his wing. You've been secretly hiding your disagreement and rebelling against my plans. Now I embody everything you cannot stand. You have nothing to hide from me now." He watched as they strapped her to the table.

Talia looked up at him with anger. "I think...I prefer the circus boy over you now."

Ra's smiled back. "It won't matter what you think. Soon, I will be guiding your actions, watching your every thought, and accessing your most intimate memories." He leaned closer. "I only want what's best for you and Damian, despite what you may think. I simply want us to be together through this momentous time. Together we shall set right all that is wrong with this world. We will all rule together," Ra's gave a small laugh, "With my rules of course."

"I don't think so. Good luck convincing Damian to go along with this, procedure or not." Talia winced as one of the straps was pulled extra tight.

"Oh he will take part in it, I assure you. Once he lets go of those foolish ideals his father and his false heirs have fed him. With my help he will once again be on track to become the greatest ruler of them all. My true heir."

"You mean the new body you will take once he's grown and you tire of this one." Talia retorted. "You will not change his mind. It's too late, he sees you as you truly are. I see you too now." Her last words coming out in a whisper. She felt a tear fall. "You don't love us. Not really. If you did, you wouldn't do this to us."

She pleaded with her eyes to him. She even hoped for a glimmer of the familiar young man that she once resented. "Your plan to enslave the population is madness. A true leader would not have to take over his people's minds to get them to follow. They should want to follow you, if they believe in you."

Ra's let out a huff. "It is not that simple my dear. They are already brainwashed by the corrupt leaders of their countries. They are unable to see the way to a better life right now. They need guidance first. Once I teach them and show them I am their savior, I won't have to control them forever."

Talia knew it was pointless to argue, it was all a lie. He was enjoying his new body, he loved being in control. "Then there is nothing left to discuss."

Ra's sighed and nodded to Dr. Moon. "Let me know when it's done so we can proceed with the transplant. With her under my influence and my brain transferred completely to this new host, Damian will be no trouble."

As he began to walk away, Talia shouted out. "What's wrong? Can't bare to to watch as I am defiled?"

He didn't respond and continued to walk into the dark hallway.

 

~

 

Ra's tried to shut out his daughter's angry words and made his way back to his secret chamber. He paused when he heard a noise behind him. It sounded like footsteps. He placed his hand on his saber's handle and spun around. The lamps mounted on the wall gave barely enough light to see a few feet away. Beyond that a black void faced him with strange shadows that seem to dance within it. Was his mind playing tricks on him?

"Grayson?" He growled in the darkness.

He received no response nor signal that usually flickered within when he was still alive and kicking after an attack. Still, Ra's didn't feel satisfied. Perhaps a quick venture within was in order. Maybe dark plumes of smoke would make him believe he was choking to death. It would knock him out long enough to get through the transplant.

Another noise snapped him out of his thoughts. He pulled his saber out and stood his ground. "Who's there?" He asked.

A whisper.

He waited. His ears sharpened to pick up the slightest sound.

Footsteps again. Behind him!

Ra's spun around to meet his assailant, but was met with nothing. He gritted his teeth in frustration. It had to be Grayson.

A strange laugh startled him. "I will cut you down, I will make you suffer Richard. Do you hear me?" He shouted.

A felt a presence behind him. 

"You should never bring a blade to a gun fight. I always bring both!" A maniacal voice cackled. As he turned around he swung his blade, thinking the figure stood right behind him. He connected with nothing. Instead the sound of the something flying through the air was heard and Ra's yelped as a sharp object struck his hand, making him drop his blade.

"I'm a bit of a sharp shooter. HAA HA HA HA HAAAAA!"

Ra's tried to confront the white faced clown but instead met a large silver revolver. He tried to leap out of the way when the gun went off. The sound was deafening at close range within the dark hallway. Ra's eyes went wide with shock when felt the impact in his left shoulder. He stumbled backwards, clutching his wound. He hit the back wall.

Joker laughed even louder as he stepped into the light. He ran past Ra's and headed further down the hall. 

"This isn't real." He groaned as he stood back up properly. He removed his hand and gasped at the sight of blood. "No! This can't be."

If this was an illusion, Ra's couldn't snap out of it. He heard another mad laugh echo back to him. Pain began to radiate down his arm and he started to become light-headed. He staggered forward and ran to the entryway where two guards stood watch.

"Fools! Don't just stand there, we have an intruder!" He barked. The guards exchanged a look of confusion, making Ra's blood boil. If it was real, he didn't want that psycho ruining his work. "A mad man is somewhere down here, look!" He showed his wound to them in hopes of them getting some kind of message it was fake. They exchanged another look that didn't help. 

"I said go find him or I will dismember the both of you!" He screamed at them. They instantly took off into the darkness as Ra's began to climb the steps to reach the infirmary. He could have gone back to the operating room but... Talia.

 

~

 

Dr.Moon slapped on the latex gloves and shuffled over to the bound woman on the operating table. She glared back at him and he gave her a sympathetic smile. "I truly enjoyed working with you Miss Talia. Just think," He picked up one of the syringes with the sickening green fluid and gazed at it with love. "you will be a part of one of the greatest minds in the world! Won't that be grand?"

"And be unable to choose for myself? To have no free will? I think not!" She spat back at him. "I will be a prisoner within my own mind with my father as the warden."

Dr. Moon shook his head. " It is a shame you see it that way. Now my dear, it is time to join the Demon's Head. Get it?" He chuckled at his horrible joke as he lifted the syringe and placed it close to her temple. Talia tried to turn her head away but the straps were tight. She only succeeded in pulling out several strands of hair.

"Now try not to move while I insert this needle into your brain." Dr. Moon grinned with insane glee, his words like poison oozing into her ear.

She shut her eyes and braced for the sting, remembering the face of agony Richard wore as her father took him over. Instead she felt a breeze followed by the sound of Dr. Moon screaming. Talia opened her eyes to see Damian with his sword dripping with blood. The deranged doctored was clutching the stump where his hand should have been. Talia watched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and collapsed in a heap.

With one swoop, the used blade sliced through her restraints. "Come mother, we must stop Grandfather from killing Richard and turning the villagers."

He offered his hand to help her off the table. It was a surprising gesture she had never seen him do before. She accepted it gladly.

"Yes and I have a plan in place. You must find your Grandfather and lead him out of the labs." Talia takes a peek around the corner to see if the screams alerted the guards. 

"What are you going to do?" Damian asked.

"Stop this project for good. Now go find him." Talia drops to her knees and grabs his shoulders, looking into his eyes. "Find Richard."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've some more coming up but the end is near. I hope this has been a good ride for you guys.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Demons within.

Chapter 12

 

Ra's climbed and climbed an infinite staircase, wincing as the bullet wound throbbed again. There was no banister to hold onto so he strafed close to the wall, not trusting his balance during his flight up. He was having difficulty deciphering dream from reality. Did the Joker infiltrate his base? And why? The way his guards looked at him seem to tell him he was losing his mind. But the gun shot... the pain. Ra's took another look at his bleeding shoulder. His shirt was soaked and the blood was making a winding trail down his pants now. This had to be real. As real as these stairs he kept climbing and climbing. And climbing.

Wait.

What is going on here?

He should have been above ground by now. He stopped and peeked up the center. The top was still far off. He looked down and gasped as the way down spiraled into blackness. He swayed slightly and threw himself back against the wall to prevent himself from tumbling over. 

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Ra's screamed into the endless spire. 

It had to be the work of the boy. He was beginning to see why the Detective was so impressed by the circus brat. Anyone else would have succumbed to Ra's control and restrictions. Richard Grayson was more than just a costumed vigilante, he was a fighter. He was a powerful resister. He was clever. 

"Too clever for your own good. " Ra's mumbled.

Ra's knew it all had to be fake. He swallowed, "You're still in there, aren't you?"

Silence.

"None of this is real. The bullet wound, the clown, or these stairs. Well, let me tell you something...You have moments left in this world. Try spending them with the remnants of your shattered memories than playing tricks with me. I'm not giving this body up. It's mine now!" Ra's shouted out. 

"Oh, it's real." Came the unexpected reply, like an echo with no point of reference. "It's real because it happened to me. It's only natural that you would be experiencing it too. The after affects of such a traumatic event, they stay with me as they do you now. It is your trauma now."

Ra's looked around, waiting to see Grayson emerge from the shadows somewhere. All he got was more taunting. "Do you still feel it, how it hurts? How about the fragments are still lodged in there?"

His shoulder suddenly sent out another wave of pain, causing him to cry out.

"Enough! I am tired of your games." Ra's steadied himself and tried to block out the agonizing ache.

Dick's voice dropped icily. "Yes, I agree. How about a different kind of pain?"

A spotlight flashed on Ra's and he tried to block it out with his uninjured arm. He heard the sounds of a crowd all around him. They were screaming and gasping in horror. He squinted through the light to see what they were reacting to and he screamed out. 

"No!" He reached out with his extended arm helplessly as he watched Talia and Damian fall to their deaths under the Big Top. He could see the panic and fear in their eyes just before they hit the ground. He tried to turn away but found the exact same sight behind him as well. The sound was horrifying, two soft thumps, bones cracking. Silence for a moment.

Then the crowd cheered. Ra's looked around him in shock.

Blood began to spread beneath both of the crumpled bodies, the sand and hay soaking it up.

"Stop it!" Ra's screamed.

"Again! Again! Again!" The faceless crowd chanted.

"No!

Again he heard the screams as the scene played out. Ra's wanted to fly to them, but he was stuck to the landing pad a hundred feet in the air.

"More! More! More!" They demanded. They began throwing money into the ring, covering up the mother and child. The bills absorbing the red liquid that now made the shape of red wings spreading out from the two bodies.

"Yes, Ra's. Do you know how many times I dreamt of these images? The brightness of the blood, the smells? The sound of the snap of the wire and of them hitting the ground."

The spotlight glared back at him again, like a vengeful eye.

"It's all yours now Ra's. Every night for the rest of your life. As is this."

There was a frightening snap of fabric that made Ra's look up as something dark blocked the overbearing light. His eyes widened with the realization and fear of what is was.

Wings.

Big black wings.

Coming for him.

He stumbled backwards, suddenly free from his spot. It took him off guard and he went over the edge. He screamed as the winged figure flew towards him. Black gauntlets around black gloves reached for him but Ra's knew better than to take them. They looked more intent to strangle him than save him. He could see his eyes now, sharp white slivers that showed no emotion except for cold determination.

The Batman.

"Nooo!" Ra's cried out and closed his eyes, accepting death than a dance with the dark knight. He fell. A gun shot rang out and a stabbing pain struck his head and brought him back to reality.

He hit the ground.

Ra's opened his eyes and saw he was back at the base of the stairwell looking up at the now normal distance up.

"No more." He rasped. He struggled to get up and glanced around. All was quiet.

Ra's recovered himself and growled. "I will destroy you once and for all, boy."

"That will not happen, Grandfather." Damian's voice interrupted his conversation. Ra's focused himself and saw Damian step towards him, weapon raised. "We will put a stop to your madness."

"Ha, 'we'? It appears that your mother is not here to have your back, my child." Ra's grinned.

Damian shook his head. "I wasn't talking about Mother. Are you ready to do this, Grayson?" He shouted.

Ra's pulled out his signature saber. "He can't do anything to me. I won't be distracted by his illusions anymore."

Suddenly, Ra's was struck with a massive headache. He felt reality slip away from him again. His last coherent thought going through his head was-

"Impossible!"

 

~

 

Damian went to strike the sword out of his hand. The attack left his grandfather in a strange trance, swaying left and right as if drunk. Damian swung his blade only to receive a block and swipe back in retaliation. Damian jumped back and assessed the situation. Despite the look of emptiness on his face, Ra's still seemed to be in control of Richard's body. That meant Damian would have to do battle with the physical aspect while Richard took him on within his mind.

"Alright, let's do this." Damian said, getting into position. He needed to disable his grandfather while Richard finished him off. Damian struck again, dodging another returning blow. Ra's started making his way up the stairs backwards as Damian kept pressing forward. Damian cursed under his breath as each attack was rebuffed and blocked. They made it up the stairs where Damian had more room to circle him and try a different approach. 

Ra's cried out in pain and dropped his saber, falling to his hands and knees. Damian took the opportunity to swipe the sword away from him. Ra's got up and charged at Damian, swinging wildly. Damian was able to evade the punch. He sheathed his blade and went into hand to hand combat. He figured if he could knock his grandfather down and pin him, it would be the best way out of this without major damage. They fought through the wide hallway, coming to the entrance of the main balcony. 

Ra's stopped, his breath coming out raggedly. "You think... you can... stop me? I cannot... be defeated. Not by... you."

An explosion knocked both of them against the wall. It came from below.

"I'm afraid your experiment has been terminated." Talia stepped out holding a detonator in her hands. "I've flooded the basements and sealed the entrance. Your body is down there, in stasis safe and sound, but trapped."

Ra's seemed to be struggling to speak now. Only one side of his mouth could move, his face drenched in sweat. "How could... you?"

"With great pleasure. " Talia replied coolly. "Now give back the body you've stolen."

"Never!" He came at her with a kick. She blocked it but the impact sent her back a few steps. Damian attempted to tackle him but Ra's grabbed him by the collar and threw him into the wall.

"I will kill him before I give him back!" Ra's shouted.

"No!" Damian recovered and ran at him. He stopped when he got a good look at his face. It was red with veins bulging out from his temple and neck. Something was happening internally and Damian wasn't sure if engaging with him at the moment was safe. 

"Richard?" Damian asked uncertainly. "Are you OK?"

The next thing Damian knew, Ra's was screaming at the top of his lungs, clutching his head with both hands. He began running for the balcony. Damian started after. "No!"

"Damian!" Talia followed after.

They both watched in terror as Richard's body went over the stone ledge.

 

~

 

Ra's found himself in a familiar place but an unfamiliar predicament. The green prison had become a space filled with diffused light and blue mist. He looked down and found his arms and legs tied with rope.

"Boy mister, you sure are in a pickle." Dick walked out of the mist in full Nightwing costume. He folded his arms across the iconic blue wings upon his chest.

Ra's grinned. "You think these flimsy ropes can hold me? I am all powerful!"

Dick watched with amusement as the older man tried to snap the bindings in two. After a few ridiculous moments of struggle he stared back at Dick with rage. "What is this?"

"Magic rope." Dick said with a grin.

"There's no such thing." Ra's grunted as he gave one last attempt. They wouldn't budge.

"That's what you think." Dick's grin faded and was replaced with a grim line. "How about a magic trick?"

The rope glowed bright and began to burn. Ra's howled in pain.

"I let you trick me into thinking I was your prisoner, when in actuality you... are mine."

The rope's brightness died back down and Ra's caught his breath.

"What's this? How...?"

Dick circled him. "You never had complete control of me Ra's. And let me tell this; no one does. Not you, not Batman, not my ancestors... nobody. You tried to make me feel helpless, but I have never been helpless to people like you. My weaknesses have always been my own. In my mind I have doubted so much about who I am. After I was shot in the head, I became more lost than ever. But I think thanks to you, I will never doubt who I am again."

"I will just get more serum to subdue you and when I transplant myself inside your head, I will take pleasure in destroying your brain with the biggest mallet I can find." Ra's seethed.

"It's too late Ra's. I've got you now. Now I have all the power in the world," Dick lifted a finger to his temple, "right here."

Dick stopped in front of him. "In here, you are as strong as I let you be."

The rope began to burn again. Ra's could smell burning flesh. Dick stepped closer. "Doesn't smell very good, does it?"

He leaned in close and whispered in Ra's ear. "Do you want to know a little secret?"

"I am not as innocent and naive as you think. My hands have taken a life. Some crazy guy, you might have come across a little earlier. He pushed me over the edge. Even though he was brought back to life, it still haunts me. I told myself I would never let it happen again. However, I might make an exception for you."

The rope burned again, eliciting a snarl from Ra's lips.

"I mean you really pissed me off. You took over my body, enslaved a village, tried to kill innocent civilians, struck the mother of my little brother, and tried to take over the world via mind control. Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you."

"You wouldn't dare. You just said-"

Dick cut him off. "Right, I did just say I would never take a life again. But you aren't really a person here. You are just the manifestation of the psychic link between us. So,"

He didn't finish the sentence. Ra's sneered at him. "So what are you waiting for? Go ahead, I'll still continue my work. And I will come after you and your fake family."

"I'll get someone else," He threatened, "someone close to you. And when you least expect it, I'll have them drive a knife into your heart."

Dick frowned. "I doubt that. I'm sure Talia and Damian will have something to say about that."

"Then 'kill me', if you can. I'd love to see it for myself." Ra's grinned.

A muffled explosion came from beyond, the impact rippling through each of them. Ra's looked around in panic.

"Uh oh, sounds like someone cut the purple wire instead of the yellow wire-"

"This is madness! I'll finish you Grayson!"

"I think you're finished Ra's." Dick stepped back as a dark shadow raised behind Ra's back. "And as for your demise, well, I think I'll let some... other demons take care of you."

Before Ra's al Ghul could speak, a large, long, sharp scythe came from behind and nestled in the crook of his neck. "How about we introduce you to a little fear." Hissed the Scarecrow.

"He could use a face re-arrangement too." Two-Face said in his gravelly voice. He slapped the end of a baseball bat in his other hand.

"And twist his neck." Blockbuster yanked Ra's by the cape, causing him to fall backwards into the arms of several villains. He stared up as they surrounded him.

"No, wait!" Ra's pleaded.

"Oh, what fun we're going to have with you!" squealed the Joker. A few drops of acid fell from his signature flower and landed on Ra's chest, burning quickly through his shirt to his skin.

"Let go of me!" He shouted as they all picked him up and headed back into the dark tunnel that was slowly closing. Other rogues were waiting there for him; The Crime Syndicate, Deathstroke, and Tarantula, all beckoning him in.

"Goodbye Ra's." Dick turned away and walked into the light, ignoring the old man's pleas. 

 

~

 

He felt light and his vision hazy. It was as if he were waking from a dream. He felt the wind tossing his hair about and the scent of sea salt on the breeze. The sun was shinning mid morning.

And it was upside down!

Dick realized he was falling.

"Oh shit!" He said with a gasp.

His reflexes kicked in as he reached for the thin stone pillar of the balustrade. He sweaty hand began to lose hold of it, and he looked down for an alternative landing spot.

There wasn't any.

"Richard!"

He heard a familiar voice cry out above him. Damian's worried face greeted him.

"Uh, hand?" Dick asked with panic as he felt his strength give out. He began to fall again as Damian jumped over and grabbed his extended hand. They both started falling as Talia reached them and grabbed her son's feet. Dick knew it must have been a ridiculous sight, but he had another worry. He looked down and saw the League assembling in the courtyard with Ubu shouting and pointing at them.

"Talia?" Dick said.

"Richard?" Talia responded back, her voice straining.

"We've got a problem."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, back with another chapter for you. We got Dick back and Ra's al Ghul is gone for now. Stay tuned for the epic escape from the League of Shadows!

**Author's Note:**

> I am giving this a shot because I know the powers that be will not fix this craptastic storyline anytime soon. So here we go!


End file.
